


He Who Swallows a Demon's Heart (and gets lost in the afterglow)

by dirtyicicles



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Blood and Injury, Eventual Smut, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Slow Burn, fae au i guess, idk what to call this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-08
Updated: 2017-11-14
Packaged: 2018-10-28 23:20:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 76,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10841571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dirtyicicles/pseuds/dirtyicicles
Summary: The forests of Hylia have been around for as long as time has existed. No one dare traverse their deep paths, their inward, twisting roads that lead to what's surely some kind of damnation.But Link's rather bored with his current life, and feels like he has nothing left to lose. Perhaps that's why he doesn't mind the presence of the forest so much, and eventually, is the reasoning for his own mistakes.





	1. Long and Lost

**Author's Note:**

> I...haven't finished the game, but here we are LMAO I think it's important to note that while I'm an avid fan of the Loz, I haven't done much in the way of actually playing too many of the games myself. But BotW is lovely and beautiful, and gave us such a wonderful cast, that I feel the need to write for it anyway. 
> 
> Anyway, self care is letting the fae take you and fuck you over. Only minimally, though, I guess. Considering anthro shark lovers are a thing. 
> 
> I hope you all enjoy it, though! More updates will surely be on the way.

The forests sway with the wind, unperturbed even through the passage of time; a constant variable for as long as time can remember, thick and dense, with grand trees that scrape the lining of the very sky itself, tops made of white clouds instead of green, lush leaves. The forests are sacred grounds, located to the north of Hylia and, ultimately, left alone. 

While beautiful in the daylight hours of blue skies and warm, golden sunshine, something changes the moment twilight covers the land. The shadows cast by the old Sheikah shrines warp and twist into something more sinister, darkened eyes in their inky depths, teeth dripping at the maws that snap when one gets too close. 

Yes, the land changes and warps itself into something much more eerie, uneasy, _unnerving._ Hushed whispers of the darkened lands pass from one pair of lips to the other, nervous hands twitching at the fingertips as someone recounts a tale of overstaying their visit in the forests. 

_"I just wanted to pay my respects, and lost track of the time,"_ they mutter. _"I don't think I can ever go back there."_

_"Quiet!”_ someone else hushes them, a bite to their tone, a fierce flash in their eyes as they glare their friend down into the concrete. _"Just don't talk about it! Especially like that..."_

They swallow hard, and the subject is dropped and forgotten entirely. 

Yet still, the people are nervous of the flickering images between the trees, the ghostly flashes that imprint themselves into the mind. Buildings and structures are built far away from even the meadows, where the land becomes wild and preludes to the trees that sit patiently, quietly, waiting for someone to wander into their depths. 

The young and the reckless usually do wander in at the later hours of the night. While most return home safely, pupils blown and eyes wide with fright, there are the few whose existence is hushed and mourned in hesitant silence. An offering, one could suppose, to the spirits of the forest who demand no such thing...or so they say.

The legends depict them as playful, vengeful, merely bored with their own existence as they play with another's. Tall, eldritch beings who suck you away into their own realm, or the little faeries that bob playfully between the trees, offering a trick to the mind's eye as a lantern set against the path that leads the way back home. 

Yet in the end, all of it is merely hearsay, and there are still the few who live peacefully along the meadow's edge. 

Link pats Epona on her broad flank, his other hand stroking the white blaze that accentuates her snout. The sun is setting, casting the sky in deep hues of oranges, reds, pinks and purples, and he gazes upon all of it with a heart set at ease. 

Epona steps closer, a deep, rumbling purr in her throat as she dips down to graze at the grass. 

The distant rustling of leaves and birds settling in for the night are all he can hear carried upon the winds that caress his cheeks and tug his at his hair. Maybe the occasional shout from the children enjoying their early summer night breaks, or the din of a television as a door smacks open somewhere down the road and allows him a glimpse into another life. A far off-life, much different from his own, where his only company is the horse at his side and the three cuccos he's adopted on accident. 

The road stretches on to the horizon nonetheless, and Link gazes down its cracked, faded surface towards the North. It winds through the forest about forty minutes from his own home, and the road is always dead once the sun settles behind the hills for the night. It's nice, honestly, lacking the fumes of sputtering cars and the horrible growl of motorcycles that spook his companions. The evening's twilight is just a better time as a whole, one whose presence he appreciates as he breathes deep of the cool, evening air one last time.

Epona sputters another noise, and she steps away from Link for good for the night. He pats her fondly once more on the rump before he wanders into his house, the interior awash in warm, yellow lights that he's eager to swathe himself in. 

Some time passes before he goes to bed himself, and that night he dreams of strange red creatures in the woods, with wide maws full of sharp teeth, slitted pupils that are...kind. One such creature in particular is warm and welcome to his presence, and she leads him through the trees of the forest back home with a smile covering her dark, sharp mouth. 

How he's ended up in the forest, he doesn't know. The surroundings are much different from home, though, glowing with the lights of rainbowed, coral-like bushes and trees that sparkle in an eternal night, glittering underneath the dance of the stars above. Water lines the edge of the forest he's in, and the girl beside him hurries him away from it, her gentle, soothing voice urging him along to waking, fluttering eyes. 

When he awakes the dream is all but forgotten, but it lingers at the edge of his mind nonetheless. A memory he can't quite recall, it feels like, but when the evening eventually rolls around again and he's home from work, it's gone. 

Link's life is simple, though, monotonous and taken in measured steps that are, in fact, quite cushioned. His work is slow and steady, a position at the city's veterinary office office that requires minimal interaction with others and saving him the hassle of having to speak regularly. His speech impediment is something he's used to dancing around, especially in the company of strangers and trying to get them to understand him, but it's nice to have something where talking isn't as much of a requirement and he can simply relax in the presence of others similar to him, animals though they may be. 

The death of his mother enabled him something of an easier time with life, too, even if it still left him terribly guilty. She was taken all too early in the threads of a hospital bed, her fading smile and lingering words upon her lips the last memory he held within himself of her. He'd been with her all of his life, and perhaps that's why he insisted on surrounding himself with _something,_ if not the company of other humans. Link wasn't the type to linger on what was, and what could have been, but sometimes it's hard, and sometimes he wallows. 

Sometimes, maybe, that's why he wanders into the trees. A bit of a break from the stark reality of towering skyscrapers found down to the south of the city, away from the black asphalt that burns and rises in heatwaves in the unforgiving summer's sun. The trees offer quiet and solitude, protection underneath their boughs so long as you're careful not to tread on something you shouldn't be near. 

Link finds himself in the forest quite a bit, in his free time on the weekends. Epona enjoys the exercise as they ride the trails through the meadow made by others and formed into a sort of retreat, and she leads him to the usual spot at the edge of the forest where they usually spend their days. 

It's barren of other civilized life, the creatures of the woods and Link himself the only ones to inhabit this part of the area. The birds twitter and sing their songs, their bright feathers flashing through the trees in hues that stretch from one end of the spectrum to the other. 

Deer amble through the underbrush, their chestnut coats blending in against the trunks and hiding them mostly from the prying eye of humans. Link's learned to spot them in the distance, though, their white, dappled patterns catching his eye as they move through the trees. He's started bringing apples and other various fruits with him on his excursions, and he sits some few yards away and watches them as they eat their fill of the meal he's offered them. 

Everything is...well, admittedly, slow. 

Link sighs as he looks to the leaves, admiring the the laced border they form against the same endlessly-blue sky he's used to seeing. Sometimes it's winter-grey, sometimes it's raining and looks dusted over with blue velvet with darker streaks to accentuate the thunder and lightning, but usually, it's blue. 

Blue like his eyes, he's been told. So expressive, so deep, so thoughtful and full of soul. He's often asked why he doesn't put forth more of an effort to socialize, to find that special someone, and he chokes on his words as his hands just offer themselves in a shrug and a meager excuse that fades with the wind. 

_'It just doesn't feel right,' _he motions, apologetically, before he skirts the conversation. Nothing just feels right these days, and it's an impossible cycle that even one such as himself has grown bored of.__

__He finds himself wanting to run into the trees a lot, to chase the rumors at their tails and grab them by the throats, to see if they'll stare back into his eyes and take him somewhere else. He wants to pack up his things and move away to somewhere else, to see the world and what it has to offer._ _

__But the woods grow dark, and they make a noise that startles Link from his book-induced stupor and remind him that no, it's time to go home and face another day on the horizon's morrow. Even that has him growing him weary, though, and he finds himself staying near the trees later and later into the weekend evenings._ _

__They're quiet, and sometimes Epona refuses to budge in the grasses of the meadow, her brown eyes wide and her hooves stamping the dried earth anxiously. Link doesn't force her along; she knows her way home, and while it's irresponsible, he sends her back off towards their haven on her own sometimes._ _

__He stays behind in the forest, growing braver, growing bolder, until there eventually comes a time when he's spent entire nights out there underneath the branches. Nothing seems to bother him, and he doesn't bother anything else while he sleeps, cradled against the roots of a tree whose leaves are an eternal copper._ _

__It doesn't happen often, and he tries not to make a habit of it. Mostly because when he does spend an errant night out in the wilderness, his dreams are oddly vivid, depicting scenes of claws tracing his arms and legs with hushed whispers trying to urge him further into the darkness. He's sure it's just his imagination, his paranoia, but they're entirely unsettling nonetheless, and leave him gasping in the mornings with his breath frosting out in questions that hang heavy in the morning air._ _

__It's a habit that happens at least once a week since he's started doing it, though. It's oddly refreshing, in a way, and it helps soothe his aching memories of spending days out in the wilderness with his mother. Spending blue mornings together, encased in the warmth of the log cabins to the West, sharing stories of their weeks when they happened to spend time apart._ _

__The forest is a kind of rehab, after a while: healing in its own ways, through the gentle rill of rivers tumbling over the stones and glittering in the sunlight, to the swards of grass that hide underneath overhangs of earth woven through with ancient roots of the flora. Healing properties come in bouts of breathing in the air, so cool and crisp against his tongue, the dusky flavor of the fire he's made accentuating the scene and the texture of it all._ _

__There comes a time when he almost convinces himself he could live out there, but he refrains from doing so. He has an entirely different life back home, one that he must keep up with, no matter the heavy yearning in his heart to go against the programming and rebel for a bit._ _

__But he keeps going back, until one early morning when he wanders too far into the trees._ _

__He's left Epona behind for that day, and he uses his hand as a makeshift visor as he looks about himself. It's not the first time he steps off the given path, but this _is_ the first time he finds himself somewhat lost. The trees look different, lighter in color than their usual earthen tones, lacking the blanket of moss that creeps up from their roots. _ _

__They sway in an opposite direction with the wind, something he noticed was different from just earlier that day. The wind had been blowing to the south, but now it tugged him along to the North, somewhere he wasn't too keen on going. But for whatever reason, no matter the twist and turns he took in the underbrush, his eyes kept peeled for his usual markers along the path, he was utterly, and helplessly, lost._ _

__Link sighs irritably, tugging his phone from the recesses of his pocket with disdain. Just as he suspects, there's no signal out here, and he hasn't saved an easily-accessible map for him to look at later. Of course, keeping something physical on him would have been the best idea, but he'd even gone and forgone that._ _

__In his defense, though, he didn't think he was going to step off the path as badly as he has. But he'd gone and chased rabbits he didn't need to follow, the curious sparkle of something in the distance guiding him along to a river he was unfamiliar with. He followed it until it was just a stream trickling over some rocks and disappearing underground, and when next he looked up, he was in an area he didn't recognize._ _

__Kicking himself inwardly, Link turns in the last direction he was coming from and starts along its path instead. He at least has a general sense of direction, and if the wind is blowing to the North now, he just has to find his way back to the west, where he's last entered the trees._ _

__...Or is it to the east?_ _

__He stops and sighs again, sitting down upon a rotting stump in a weak attempt to collect his thoughts. He's hungry, and the water in his bottle is nearly out, and he's wishing he would have just stayed home and watched television instead of traipsing through the woods again. He's tired, and he doesn't really know why he's out there, or why he wanted to go out, but apparently he should have listened to his gut instinct from earlier that morning to just _stay inside._. _ _

__So now he's stuck, and he buries his face in his hands with another deep breath._ _

__He's used to it. He's used to spending an unorthodox amount of time out in the woods. He knows he'll find his way back eventually, but he's just _tired._ Tired of this, tired of himself, tired of feeling like there's a void within him that's impossible to fill, no matter what he does. The forest had been his escape, but now it just hangs over him, laughing at him, mocking him. _ _

__The sun creeps along the sky, and he curses inwardly as he notices it's almost evening already. Again, not the biggest problem he's faced, but one he'd rather not deal with at the moment. Picking himself up, he rolls his shoulders and steels himself as he starts to wander the paths again._ _

__Everything is quiet, as per usual. But it's a little more quiet, oddly so, than usual. The birds aren't singing as much as they do, and the river he was just at has already faded into the plants, muffled and completely stifled from his ears. It's a little strange, but the summer is ending, and he suspects everything is just getting ready for the coming winter._ _

__He walks on at a steady pace, determined that he's on the right way back this time, facing away from the winds that so desperately want to guide him astray._ _

__After some time, it feels like he is on the right path. The trees are darker in color, their leaves a bright green against the fading, purple sky. They rustle gently in the wind, and the distant howls of creatures in the distance remind him of home. He's about sure he is on the right path back home, when suddenly he turns and finds himself facing...a lake._ _

__Link blinks in confusion, its clear, blue, crystalline surface nearly still. It reflects the border of trees around it, the sky at its center, the moon almost directly in line with it where it's peaked in the sky. It is a beautiful sight, but fear embeds itself deep into Link's stomach as he recalls nothing about a lake's presence in the forest._ _

__He looks to the sky, noting its same, purple hue, and the stars that dance against it like jewels set against velvet. Suddenly the air is a little colder, the leaves hanging from the trees and bushes a little brighter, the flowers taller and larger and sweeter than he's remembered them. Something looks at him from the depths of the far-off trees on the other side of the lake, its eyes pale and glowing in the mists. It's a gentle, wispy thing that carries itself across the lake, translucent and gossamer, completely unnoticeable unless spotted against the darkened backdrop between the trees._ _

__Link wants to look behind himself, but he's frozen in place. How everything had managed to become so different so _quickly_ baffles him, and he's wondering if he'd passed out somewhere along the path and started dreaming. None of this looks real, and he's sure it can't be, even though his fingers brush against the leaves of the nearest bush at his side, its razored edges catching on his skin and drawing blood. _ _

__Something is _off,_ and he looks around in confusion before a crack resonates through the air, the sound of something finding home on the back of his head. _ _

__Blinking once, a soft groan slips past Link's lips and the scene goes black._ _


	2. Coincidence, or Fate?

Link finds himself waking up to a hesitant, yet persistent, shaking of his shoulder. 

It manages to rouse him from the depths of his abrupt nap, and he moans as he winces, his body forcibly turning over against its will. The back of his head hits the rounded edge of a rock, and he inhales sharply before a voice over him perks up, light and apologetic as the hand it's attached to pulls away. 

“Oh! I'm very sorry! Careful, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you move so quick, ah...” It trails off, and Link blinks his eyes slowly open. 

The blur requires a few more blinks of his lids, his lashes fluttering as he fights for the opportunity to see again. Eventually, he can see a large figure looming over him, huge and obscuring most of the view around them. It's humanoid, and at first Link thinks someone has found him, willing to rescue him and help him away from there, but once everything settles into a certain clarity... 

Link's heart judders into his throat, and he chokes on it as he starts to wiggle away. Something _large_ indeed is hovering over him, eight feet at the least, with a mouth full of gleaming teeth and eyes with pupils blown so wide, they're nearly black. They blink in confusion as Link makes his escape via his rear end, and a hand is reaching out for him as those glimmering teeth leak that sweet, almost soothing voice between them once more. 

“Wait!” it cries, and Link watches as his sudden, unwanted company gets to its feet. By the heavens above, it really _was_ eight foot tall (and maybe it was even more than that, on second thought), and it's reaching for Link with eyes that seem clouded, confused, its fingers managing to brush smoothly-filed talons along his bruised cheek. 

“Wait,” it murmurs, catching Link off guard enough to make him hesitate. “I won't hurt you. I'll admit, I caught the scent of your blood and assumed the worst had happened, but I promise, I chased off what _was_ hurting you. Are you all right...?” 

The thing tilts its head, and it catches the light of the flora around them. It's dark, but with the hues of blue washing over the other individual's face and illuminating it an almost-purple, it's easier to make out exactly what's talking to him. 

And what's talking to him is...a shark, for lack of better descriptions. 

Link's eyes trace the elegant curve of fins at the sides of its face, to the graceful curve of its forehead, where it peaks in a triangle similar to the front of a shark's nose. It continues backwards into what looks like a tail, but this particular shark-thing is different, housing features akin to a human's, holding a gentle smile upon his face, doing his best to hide the teeth housed underneath his surprisingly human-like lips. His eyes are still blown wide and shot black, and Link averts his own gaze from them quickly as he looks at the rest of the _man_ before him. 

Link notes two legs like his own, yet they're not quite proportioned right to the rest of the man's body. Shorter, compared to his torso, and wholly unclothed. All of this guy is unclothed, showing off deep crimson skin that glistens in the low light. The light catches the subtle glimmering of jewels adorning the man's frame, though, woven through silver ornaments pierced through the man's skin and wrapped around it in fashions like necklaces and bracelets. They're actually quite _pretty,_ but Link is still on his guard as he positions himself upright, shakily brushing the mud and undergrowth from his clothes. 

“Are you all right?” the man repeats, catching Link's chin, his fingers slipping to the back of his head. Link watches carefully, noting the glimmer of his own blood catching upon the smooth skin of his company's finger. It drips slowly to the ground, and Link watches the gaze of the other, how it trails the blood and allows itself to linger upon the sight of it coating the grass underneath them. 

Link watches as he swallows hard, blinks once, and with pupils forcibly contracted, looks back to Link instead. 

“I can help with that, if you'd let me,” he offers, reaching out with both hands this time to steady Link with them placed upon his shoulders. “Would you be so kind as to offer me your name?” 

Something Link would have done, at this point, but that's a little hard. He catches the gaze of the other with an apologetic look and shake of his head. Raising a hand to his neck, his presses his pointer finger against the side of it, and sweeps it over his jugular, his throat, to the other side in one, sweeping motion. _Can't talk,_ he mouths afterwards, hoping the other man catches on to what he's trying to get at. 

The man blinks, and after a few seconds of somewhat awkward silence, he nods in what looks to be understanding. “I am sure I will learn your name eventually, then,” he offers, a comforting smile on his features as he moves to help Link up. 

“As for me, though,” he continues, one hand under each of Link's armpits, “I am Prince Sidon, of the Zoras. Though considering you look to be a human, I doubt you know who or what we are, what any of this is...” 

Sidon chuckles at Link's response, a meager nod of his head before he's nursing the back of it. He bends over to get a better look at himself, and he notes the scrapes and cuts against his arms and legs, the steady trickle of blood that seems to be leaking from underneath his shirt. Nothing seems to be screaming for immediate attention, but Sidon still wraps an arm about his shoulders, encouraging Link to lean against his side as he starts them off down a beaten path, bordered at the at the edges by the same glowing plants that adorned the edge of the lake.

“You are injured, and no doubt hazy and confused. So I won't try to explain much until you're feeling better, but...you've found yourself somewhere you shouldn't be, I'm afraid. If I had not been in the vicinity, the worst would have come your way...” Sidon sighs, and Link watches the warm yellow of his eyes shrink against the black again. 

It's a bizarre feeling, truth be told. Link glances around their surroundings and notices the arching boughs above their heads, the way they rustle like wind chimes. Certain plants seem to glow like neon lights in between the trunks, and the sky is still the familiar dusky purple he remembers from before. Littered with stars unfamiliar, he gazes at them long and hard, and pinches himself amongst the various other wounds and hurts to make sure he's not dreaming. 

Sidon seems to catch onto his sudden change in mood, and he offers Link a small pat on the shoulder as they walk. “This happens sometimes,” he offers, his tone somewhat solemn. “We've had your kind slip through before. It's how I know you call yourselves humans, but even I haven't seen anything like you in the flesh. Truth be told, I'm not quite sure what to do with you, but...” 

Sidon hums lowly, thoughtful as he guides Link through the trees. 

“My home is not too far off. I'm sure you'll be granted a moment's respite there, and we can fix your wounds in the mean time. Is that all right with you, my silent friend?” 

He looks to Link, a gleaming maw stretching from ear to ear. He looks genuinely kind, even if he does look like something straight out of a horror. But Link finds himself smiling in return, nodding for Sidon to see. Even if he is still groggy, in various amounts of pain and disbelief, so far this isn't so bad. So far. The adrenaline really hasn't hit him yet, and he's sure it will soon, but for the moment, he just rides the wave of calm serenity he's feeling. Sidon is large, and he's proven himself to be safe, and Link just has to make sure he's awake to make sure there isn't any hidden motivations behind his kind intents. 

They walk side by side for some time after that. Sidon seems a little awkward, and truth be told, Link is feeling the same. He's a stranger in some mystical world that's shown itself to him, that tried to kill him, and with a voice that had been whisked away to the wind long ago, it's hard to try and gesture for conversation. 

But Sidon is at least understanding. He tries on Link's behalf, even if his words aren't exactly the best thing to hear. 

“I won't lie,” he starts, tilting his head to the side, “but it's rather dangerous for you here. Not very many of your kind make the trip here, and when they do, it's...it's not pretty.” His words are heavy, weighed down by a secret he doesn't seem too keen on spilling. “There's a reason we keep ourselves hidden away. Where I live, where _we_ live, it's a bit of a different story, but still, I'm afraid I have to admit we're not the safest to be with, either. Technically nowhere is, for someone like you.” 

Sidon sighs, his hand dipping below to rest in between Link's shoulders. It's oddly steadying, comforting, and Link's nose seems to kick into overdrive and come back to life as the scent of their surroundings comes washing over him 

Past the stench of his own sweat and blood, there's an almost dulcet scent to the air. Sickly and overbearing, it reminds him of his grandmother's house when he was seven, on the day before she died. He didn't know her well, but she'd been a strange lady. The kind to recite the kinds of stories Link was seeing now, before his very eyes, come to life and _talking_ to him. 

The sudden rush of images locked away is staggering, and Sidon makes a noise of surprise as Link finds himself coming to a halt. 

“Are you sure you're all right?” he asks, resting those large hands upon Link's shoulders once more. Sidon himself smells like a swimming pool lacking the chlorine, fresh and clear, like the grey streaks promising rain in the early spring days back home. He's as gentle as the rainfall, too, and Link's lashes flutter as he leans forward into his arms. 

Okay, so maybe he's not as okay as he thought. He still tries to nod, but Sidon just scoops him closer, and Link finds it a little strange he's so willing to be so touchy-feely. Maybe personal space isn't as much of thing with him. 

It's...nice. 

But Sidon's pulling back, tapping his fingers thoughtfully against Link's shoulder. “Perhaps I can carry you the rest of the way home. I do not know what the standards for humans and their injuries are, but if you feel the need to rest, then you will have ample opportunity to do so. We can talk more when we arrive in my domain. You'll be able to relax more there, safer with the knowledge that no harm will come to you.” 

And maybe he won't be as safe there, but Link isn't really in any situation to argue. He _is_ tired, and that tiredness is telling him no, he shouldn't be falling asleep with what's probably a concussion and blood still leaking from his head, but it sounds like a good idea anyway. 

After all, people pass out from this kind of stuff and end up fine all the time, right? Animals have done it, people have done it, so it's _fine._ He is fine.

So Link nods in agreement, and Sidon's practically beaming with a glimmer in his smile as he turns around. “On my back will be best,” he muses, reaching behind himself and crouching low. “You will no doubt get wet, on the way there. It requires a bit of a swim, if we want to do this quickly. Is that fine by you?” 

Link nods again, finding himself appreciative of the thoroughness of Sidon's persistence to make sure he's comfortable. Not many others back home did it, and maybe that's why Link's a little more willing to trust this guy. The feeling helps ease him up onto Sidon's back, relaxed and comforted as he leans there, nestled into the space that makes up the crook where Sidon's neck and shoulder meets, tucked behind that strange tail that curls around him gently. It's warm there, and it still carries that fresh scent upon his skin, skin that's remarkably smooth and soft. Sidon's a little damp, but considering Link's coated in a layer of sweat and grime, Sidon feels downright heavenly against his fevered skin. 

And while Link desperately wants to sleep, he supposes actually resting and thinking about it are two entirely different things. The ride upon Sidon's back is bouncy, at best. 

Every time he thinks he's about to doze, Sidon has to work his way through a tangle of branches, step over an array of fallen debris, weave his way through the underbrush, all things that jostle Link up and down in the man's arms. 

Sidon apologizes very profusely the entire while, mixing in with the rhythm of things that are already keeping Link awake. So he decides against it in the end, admiring instead the surrounding scenes that pass them by, marveling at the fact that Sidon is much better suited for travel by water than land. After all, it's not his fault his legs just aren't built for walking like Link's are, it seems. 

After some time, Link very, very much wants to ask about Sidon's...well, his entire being, he supposes. Link feels somewhat more lucid, the bite of humidity in the air soaking his skin and refreshing him from the inside out. Back home isn't dry, necessarily, but he's visited the ocean, and the air feels similar to the breeze that washed over the sands, minus the offensive tang of salt. It's nice, and it has Link doing his best to sign out questions to the person he's currently clinging to. 

“I'm afraid I don't understand,” Sidon admits after a moment, scratching at a cheek with modestly downcast eyes. “Perhaps when we get back to my home, you could write for me? Even if we do not share the same language, I'm sure I could understand your pictures?” 

Link nods in agreement, but the statement has him staggering in his train of thought. They could understand each other just fine. Or well, it was a bit of a one-sided understanding, but still, Link could understand _Sidon_ just fine. An alien creature, something of the likes he's never seen before, and yet they could converse as normally as talking to the receptionist at his work, for the most part. 

Sidon seemed to catch on to his thoughts, and it left a question hanging between them that no one really had the answer for. Link supposed it didn't quite matter at the moment, but...

“How are you feeling?” Sidon asks, for about the billionth time in the short span they've been walking. Link can't help but laugh, a soft noise that slips from his lips and brings a sparkle to Sidon's eyes. 

“Oh!” he exclaims, clapping his hands together and jarring Link from his position upon Sidon's back as he does so. Sidon immediately stops, but he's a little breathless as he asks, “is your voice healing?” 

There's such an innocent tone to his voice, a sweet glimmer of subtle hope in his eyes, that Link feels awful when he shakes his head. He makes a few _ah, ahh, ahhhh,_ noises, motioning to his throat and the way his voice cuts off when he tries to do much more than that. _I can only make these small noises,_ he tries to convey with a hopeless gesture that falls to his sides, his fingers twitching uselessly. 

Again, Sidon is quiet for a moment. He starts to nod in understanding as he continues to walk on, his hands moving to clasp Link securely against his back once more. “I think I understand,” he says, a thoughtful hum resonating in his throat. It's like a purr, vibrating through Sidon's skin and into his own, helping to ease his tense muscles all the more. It's kind of like sitting on a big cat, except...well.

“Sometimes one of our own loses their ability to speak through battle, or through an accident, or something of the like. Has that happened to you, my friend?” Sidon gently readjusts him, his gaze fixated on Link from the corner of his eye. 

Link slowly nods, because in a way, that's the best explanation he can offer. With Sidon understanding the situation so well at the moment, Link would rather not try to explain otherwise and just confuse him even more in the end. 

Sidon seems satisfied at the very least, turning his gaze back to the path before them. Silence enshrouds the both of them again, Sidon filling the quiet space with a soft hum of something that reminds Link of lullabies he's heard back home. It's quiet and soothing, and the far-off rush of water over stones has his eyelids finally growing heavy. With arms growing slack around Sidon's neck, Link feels himself drifting off with the water rilling in the distance. 

Yet all too soon a nasty shock of _cold_ takes over him, and Link's left gasping for air, his body tensing as Sidon lowers them into some sort of river. 

“Sorry!” he immediately says, holding tight to the bank, unwilling to let the current carry them off just yet. “I'm sorry,” he repeats, his voice a gently murmur as he pats Link's thigh, rubbing it soothingly. Link is already a shivering mess, the crystalline drops splashing from the water's surface freezing him to the core. Sidon shifts his weight from one foot to the other, anxiously looking back towards Link with worry in his soft, yellow eyes. 

“It is a bit cold,” he admits, tilting his head back as Link leans forward to hug him a little tighter. “I am deeply sorry, my friend. Will you be okay for the duration of the trip? It'll be but a moment up these waterfalls.” He gestures to the towering cliffs for emphasis, draped over with cascading falls that are taller than any structure Link has ever seen. It's a little daunting, but he nods, his arms tightening their grip around Sidon's neck all the more. 

Sidon waits until Link seems to be a little more used to the temperature. It takes Link a good moment, but finally the shivering quells to just a subtle, occasional tremble. Even if he had been drifting into the void of a nice, dreamless sleep, he's honestly grateful for the fact that the water had woken him up. He already knew Sidon's legs were ill-equipped for the land, but actually seeing him in the water is something else.

Effortlessly, Sidon has them moving at the speed of the small boats upon the lakes back in Hylia. They are practically weightless, and resistance from the water is minimal. Link twists at the waist to watch as Sidon cuts through the waves, a small, swirling current left in their wake as they swim along. But the glimpse of tiny red eyes beneath the surface of the water has Link quickly turning back around, his knuckles white as he clings to Sidon. 

“If we leave them alone, they'll leave us alone,” Sidon reassures him, offering Link a small smile as they approach the nearest waterfall. It roars in his ears, masking Sidon's voice as he careens it over the volume of the water. “Hold on tight, now! We'll be up and done in just a second!” 

And that _second_ quickly evolves into a moment of what, honestly, feels like dying to Link. The water rushes over them relentlessly, threatening to knock Link from Sidon's back. The time for being demure and modest is over, as Link quickly discovers, and he results to wrapping all four limbs around Sidon as tightly as he can manage. 

But presently, they're breaching the pressure of the water and Sidon is flinging them into a new pool, carving gently into the surface and away from the cascade behind them. Link's back to shivering like a leaf, soaked to the bone, his teeth chattering something awful with his frozen limbs refusing to budge from around Sidon's form. 

Sidon chuckles, but his expressions drops into one of sorrowful sympathy as he carries Link near the shore. “There's just one more I usually take, but if you're not sure you can handle it, we can walk the bridges back to my home.” He gestures out, and Link follows his hand's line of sight to towering structures in the sky that almost blend in with the stars. 

The bridges span out to the horizon, all converging into one space that's currently hidden in a mist. They look like they're made of marble, shining in all shades of blues and greens, and the occasional purple where the colors blend together. Yet they're glossy, too, like sea glass polished and set into the finest jewelry, and Link finds himself nodding, mouth agape as Sidon carries him back onto solid land. 

Link immediately feels terrible about it, though, and he's tapping Sidon's shoulder in an attempt to get him back in the water. It's a rather elaborate display that leaves Sidon wide-eyed, gills flaring (and boy, he sure does have gills at his sides, doesn't he?) and, again, confused. 

Sidon blinks as he looks up at Link, and Link blinks in turn. 

“So...you'd rather walk?” Sidon asks, and Link feels the hand against his face before he even registers it's moving. 

But he can't help but laugh anyway as he nods. Sidon laughs too, shifting around to let Link slip back onto his feet. It's a little disorienting (going from so high up, back to your normal five-foot-three), but the ground is solid, and thanks to the water, Link is much more awake. 

He steps away from Sidon (and somewhat regrettably), and takes another moment to look around. The cliffs tower up much higher than he was anticipating, blown over in shades of green as grass as high his waist grows and clings to the rocks where it can. Sidon watches him with a bit of a smile, letting a hand rest upon his shoulders as he gestures towards the cliff face. 

“It is beautiful, no?” he asks, ducking his head a little shyly as he leads Link to a path set against the stone. “I mean, of course I live here, but I was always thankful to be here in this particular area. Surrounded by the sounds of the rivers and the falls, it truly is somewhere wonderful and soothing to be.” 

He's proud, and he's smiling, and Link can't help but find that charming. 

“I am terribly sorry for the distance, though,” Sidon continues, sighing as he casts his somewhat troubled gaze to the sky. “I am thankful we made it before nightfall, though. While the day time isn't much better, the night surely would have resulted in your undoing.” 

Link wants to feel a little insulted, but his gaze finds the sky, too, and suddenly it's much darker, the stars from earlier having disappeared. Instead the sky swirls in inky tones of blue and grey against a blackened void, and he stares at it with uneasy reverence as he steps a little closer to Sidon's side. 

“It's the result of the one who rules this land,” Sidon muses, watching Link's face, following where his eyes happen to look. “He is a nocturnal creature, and has claimed the night as his own. He's been here for as long as I can remember, a horrible entity by the name of Ganon. I've been told his senses are sharp, and he feeds off the souls of those who intrude upon his land, but luckily here in our domain, we've never been graced with his presence.” 

A terrifying story that leaves Link wide-eyed, but Sidon chuckles as he offers Link a pat on the arm. “It isn't any big deal,” he says, guiding Link up sparkling stairs set into the stone of the cliff. It leads them up to the bridges proper, Link's boots echoing off the polished marble as they walk along its glistening surface. 

“Again, I won't delve into too much detail. It seems your bleeding has subsided, but I'd rather not alarm you with too much information.” Sidon's hand finds itself on the back of Link's head again, lingering, offering a gentle, circular motion that massages at the ache. Link leans back into the gesture, grateful, and suddenly exhausted again. 

Still, he's determined to walk for a bit on his own. Sidon's hand lingers and keeps him steady, and he's tall and large enough to break the wind that howls over the mountains surrounding the area. A deep basin lies underneath the bridge they're currently traversing, and the eerie songs of something similar to birds' melodies can be heard in the distance. 

Something a little more sinister is mixed into the melodies, something deeper, something that tugs at his breastbone and urges him over the railing to the bridge. Sidon seems to hear it as well and grimaces, ghosting his hand along the shell of Link's ear. 

“Try not to pay too much attention to that,” he murmurs, the tip of his talon playing at the inner fold to Link's ear. It makes him giggle, distracting him from the haunting melody that could be heard underneath the bridge. 

“What lies below is something we've been desperately trying to chase from our territory. If it happens to get a hold of you, it makes you one of its own, and unable to come back to your original sense of self. The song you hear is it mimicking what it's heard before, in an attempt to lure you towards it. Thankfully, it sounds far off...” 

Sidon peers over the edge of the bridge, and the farther they walk, the more distant the sound becomes. Sidon keeps his hand pressed to Link's cheek nonetheless, cradling it in a large palm. Link leans into it despite himself, lacking any care at all for getting so close to this stranger. Link still aches, and he's desperate for the care and attention, anyway. Any information about this place is the key to getting back home, and Sidon's done nothing but prove himself trustworthy. 

The silence as they walk is a little more bearable, and soon cool, azure lanterns are lighting the path as they walk. Except they're not lanterns, but stone pikes set into the bridge, carved from rocks with an ethereal glow trapped underneath their translucent surfaces. They're carved in various shapes that resemble plants and coral, and Link gazes upon them with wonder as their footsteps carry them closer to the sounds of music and voices in the distance. 

“We're almost there,” Sidon muses, making a point to emphasize all the noise. A sweet, hearty smell hovers in the air, giving off the scent of succulent meats and spices that drag a growl from the very depths of Link's stomach. 

He covers it somewhat self-consciously, but Sidon gives no indication that he's heard. “Now,” he states instead, “stay close by me. Our people are kind, but like me, they've not seen anything of your kind before. I'd rather not anything go awry, and happen to loose you in some sort of commotion. Can you do that for me?” 

He pauses and crouches down low, his eyes searching Link's. It's daunting, and the voices in the distance are louder, clearer, light and happy as they speak over the volume of uplifting, off-tempo music. Link's mouth is suddenly dry, and he wonders if it'd be best to stay at the outskirts, but with the distant howls and the promise of voices in the dark wanting to drag him down lower, it's just not a safe nor viable option. 

With his heart pressed to the roof of his mouth, Link finally nods as he meets Sidon's gaze. 

“I _will_ protect you,” Sidon promises, his voice quiet and gentle. His hands rest at either side of Link's arms, their wide expanse covering the entirety of his biceps and more. He's as warm as ever, though, and Link can't help but relax underneath his touch, despite his worried anxieties nagging at the backs of his eyes. 

“We'll head in when you're ready, little one. Just let me know.” With one more smile, Sidon stands to his full height once more, and adjusts a ribbon at the front of his neck. Link hadn't even noticed it before, but the ruffled fabric resembles something akin to a cravat. It's _cute,_ and with such a suddenly normal, human-looking thing reminding him that Sidon isn't that much different than him, he nods. 

“Let us be off, then.” A rumbled purr to follow his words, Sidon reaches out to scoop Link up against his side, and he leads him into the heart of a city enshrouded in an otherworldly haze.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The feedback I got for the first chapter was so nice! <3 Thank you to everyone who's commented so far, and offered me a kudos. Comments are always welcome, and I hope y'all enjoyed the update!


	3. Blunt Truths

Nothing much came of them walking through the city's gates. 

At first, anyway. 

Sidon was considerate enough to keep close to Link, to try and hide him with his own body as they walked the roads. But soon prying eyes start to bore into Link, and they pick him apart as pointy mouths smother whispered words into webbed fingers. 

It has Link blushing, his insides writhing, and he keeps his gaze low as they walk through the forming crowds. 

“I suppose I should have mentioned this would be the first time someone like you has set foot in my home,” Sidon muses, his own eyes looking from side to side to the strangers milling around them. They're all similar to Sidon, though their skins carry various hues of purples and greens, to blues and even pinks. Link can't help but be reminded of tropical fish, their iridescent scales glimmering underneath the surface of the water, their elegant fins that fan out behind them in a brilliant display of another world that lies in the oceans. 

He vaguely wonders if that would be an insult. But then again, he's not sure his standard type of fish even exists in this world, and the thought has him feeling a little funny as he's guided steadily down the road. 

And it's a beautiful road, he notices. It's that same stone from the bridges polished to a perfect mirror, shocks of color against the pale blue that glitter like opals. He can see himself in the surface, all muddied and haggard, bags underneath his eyes with blood clinging to his flesh at the base of his neck, playing at the dip in his clavicle. He's soaked to the bone, clothes drenched and clinging to a frame that he's been overworking as of late. 

He has to look pretty _unnerving,_ at the very least. Not so much as the individuals who stare him down with blackened eyes, their irises the only spot of color within their depths. These _Zora_ are all reminiscent of the legends and stories back home, and Link swallows hard as he allows Sidon to lead him deeper into their domain. 

Maybe this was a mistake. Everything looked so _hungry._

After a while, at the very least, the crowds thin as they walk twisting pathways that arch gently towards the sky. The walkways are lined with trickling streams, their path carved into the selfsame stone that makes up the entirety of the structures in the area. They splash gently along their course, and the lights dance on the surface and reflect a missing sky full of stars in the overhead's stead. 

The whole place is rather petrichor, and Link breathes deep of the air and savors the dampness of it. He feels waterlogged and exhausted, overstimulated and fried, but at least the final stretch to what he assumes to be their last destination isn't so bad. 

Not until a voice pipes up over the din, closer than expected and causing Link to nearly jump from his skin. 

“Prince _Sidon,_ ” it hisses, its voice gnarled and demanding attention. Sidon jumps too, an immediate expression of guilt flitting across his features as he turns to face another Zora.

It's shorter, due to the fact that it's hunched over. It has a larger head, sagging at the sides and above the fins, and it's wizened and either trembling from exertion, or based on the look it carries: _fury._

Link finds himself stepping behind Sidon, his eyes wide as he watches a tense scene unfold before himself. 

“Muzu,” Sidon starts, pleading as he steps closer to the other Zora. Muzu immediately steps away before Sidon can have a chance to get too close, though, the wrinkles around his eyes deep and unforgiving. 

“I heard the whispering, and didn't think any of it could be true. What are you doing with _that?”_ He points at Link for emphasis, his glare seething, unwavering from Sidon's own. "For as long as you've been gone, we all thought the worst had happened. But then you show up when the nights are long and dark, and you return with a _human?_ How foolish are you, boy?” 

There's a finishing growl to the last syllable that has Sidon flinching, and Link finds himself shrinking as he steps away towards a pillar. More for support than anything else, as he finds himself wavering on his feet, but it's also nice to hide himself behind it while Sidon opens his mouth to speak again. 

"He means us no harm, Muzu. I will take him to my personal quarters after I have concluded business with my father. He is simply lost, and just wants to find a way back home.” He sighs, and Sidon drops a hand to his hip as he looks at the aged Zora desperately. 

“You know full well that our home isn't an option for something like him!” Muzu retorts, the saliva flying from his mouth as he speaks, Sidon's kind, patient words only evoking a greater anger from him. “You know how much effort it takes to open the rift between worlds! You know the consequences! Telling him to go and forgetting he ever existed is within our best interests, Sidon." 

There's a bite to the way he says Sidon's name that makes Link's heart sink not for himself, but for Sidon. There's a subtle look of utter defeat in Sidon's features, a stiffness in his shoulders with an expression unreadable that follows. His eyes are black again, giving away nothing as he stares Muzu down, his frame drawn to reveal his full height. Link picks himself right back up as the atmosphere suddenly grows tense, heavy with the oncoming argument (no, more like oncoming _fight)_ that Link can practically smell in the air. 

But surprisingly, it doesn't come. 

“I will see what my father has to say,” Sidon concludes, reaching a hand out blindly towards Link. Link swallows hard, panic knocking against his chest, but he forces himself away from the pillar he's been leaning on. He falls into step beside Sidon once more, doing his best not to cower, to make himself look as small as possible. 

Muzu huffs, a look of utter indignation on his features, but Sidon's walking away and dragging Link along for the ride before he can say another word. 

“I'm terribly sorry about that,” Sidon murmurs after a moment of brisk walking, his tone softer as they hurry along the stone pathways. “Muzu is my adviser, of sorts, working underneath my father and dealing with the smaller matters. He has our people's best interest at heart. I do mean it when I say you mean us no harm, though, and never will. He's just...” 

Sidon trails off, and Link understands. He doesn't want to think too hard on it, though. He's already figured he would be unwanted here. That's a bridge they would both cross when they get to it, though. 

For the moment, Sidon keeps quiet as he steers Link along empty roads, towards a towering building in the northern-most part of the city. Its domed roof shines in the lights of a clearing before it, where a statue of another Zora resides in the middle of an elaborate fountain. Her effeminate arms wrap gently around a silver trident, which seems to be the statue's centerpiece. She's smiling, with features softer than Link is used to seeing, and she's hiding the terrible teeth these people seem so keen on showing behind a pair of smooth lips. 

Link finds himself staring, entranced. It dredges up something inside of him, something small and fleeting, yet _something_ nonetheless. He's not quite sure what it reminds him of, or why his brain seems so keen on kicking up a memory, hazy and black, and he's still thinking hard on it when Sidon's voice interrupts his train of thought. 

“That's my sister,” he points out, his own gaze lingering upon the statue. “She was older than I. Kind and sweet, always took care of both our own people and the strangers who'd wander into our domain. When she was alive, things were different. I half wonder if the lack of her influence is why we're all so cold these days, but...there's nothing to be done about it now.” He sighs, and the topic is dropped. 

Link follows Sidon underneath an awning instead, carved and ridged to resemble a clam's shell. It's pearlescent like one too, and Link's eyes follow it to the ceiling inside, where a grandiose chandelier hangs over some sort of throne room to greet visitors. 

It shimmers in the colors of the rainbow, branched out like coral, with pearls the size of his fist hanging from its intricate lengths. They're translucent, catching the light and casting glowing orbs onto the floor and walls around them. Link's too busy looking at them and the fauna in the room to realize there's another Zora residing inside, one of which Sidon walks briskly up to with an air of formative hope. 

“Father-” he starts, only to be silenced almost immediately by the wave of a hand. Link looks away from the fountains lining the room's walls, to the new Zora seated upon a throne. As exquisite as the chandelier, the throne is made from marble and polished to a pink shine, carved large enough to fit the rather prodigious Zora that Link finds there. 

This one resembles a whale, in a way. A killer whale, with markings around its red eyes, though it houses a kind shade of blue where the white doesn't touch. He's _large,_ a few good feet taller than Sidon, and Link has to wonder if that's the Prince's end game. 

But his train of thought comes to an abrupt halt as what Link assumes to be the King looks to him instead. 

“Kindly state your name, human.”

And awkward silence ensues. 

Link dares to look for help in Sidon, who's looking at his father with disdain written across his features. 

“He can't talk, father,” he states, rather bluntly. That gets the attention of his father, who looks back to Sidon with an...eyebrow? quirked. 

“So you don't know his name?” he asks, tapping the clawed tips of his fingers against his chair in a languid roll. “And you still brought him here...?” 

Sidon visibly worries at the inside of his lip, and, most appropriately, Link finds himself wondering if that hurts. 

“He's lost,” Sidon repeats, carefully, “and just needs to find a way back home. _I'll_ help him take care of that.” 

The King just stares Sidon down, and Link has to wonder how he knew about Link. Did rumor really travel that fast? Did he- 

“He carries a most pungent smell about him,” the King states, waving a hand lazily towards Link. “I'm sure everything within our general vicinity must know he's here. If one could take care of the smell within a reasonable amount of time, I'd gladly offer him refuge. You know it pains me to turn such an esteemed guest away, but with the lands as dangerous as they are, bringing no news of the morrow, I'm afraid I just cannot, Sidon.” 

Well that was gross. And also made Link feel terribly selfconscious. And worthless. 

Sidon seems to be conveying each emotion across his face the moment Link feels them, and it's rather charming, to know he has someone like him on his side. But the atmosphere is somber, and Link can see Sidon fighting for the right words to say. 

“Can he not stay with us for just a night? Long enough to recover from his injuries, and so I can set him upon the right path?” Sidon masks the emotion in his voice, and it leaves Link feeling weird again. He supposes that's a nice option, but with all things considered...getting the chance to be kept close to someone who knew more about all of this had been a wonderful prospect of an idea. To be threatened towards the unknown, all on his own... 

“Do you not fear the repercussions, Sidon?” the King asks, his expression turning softer as he looks properly to his son instead. “You remember what happened to Mipha, no? I love her dearly, but her fate was the direct result of meddling in things best left alone. I know you two have nothing but pure intentions in your hearts, but please, Sidon. Having him here on any sort of extended stay causes me to fear not only for our people, but for _you._ ” 

Silence follows his words, and Sidon just bows his head. A moment passes by, the fountains filling the air with their gentle rill. 

Finally the King bows his head, his eyes closing as he does so. The chains adorning his own figure are much more elaborate than Sidon's, carrying various baubles along their length, little gems that capture the rainbow prisms within their own. He jingles with the sounds of jewelry as he moves, and he's really quite beautiful, now that Link thinks about it. He carries scars of battles untold across his being, and Link's a little more focused on just the _wonder_ of all of this, rather than the impending doom that should have been demanding his immediate attention. 

“For only a night. I am King Dorephan, little one. Stay close to Sidon, and no harm will come to you.” Dorephan's words are final, echoing through the hall and settling deep into Link's ears. 

“Thank you,” Sidon mutters in tandem to his father's words, bowing his head with his eyes cast toward Link. “One cycle of the sun should be enough for our preparations. He'll be gone by dawn on the morrow.” 

“Very well,” comes an almost bored response as the King reclines, watching Sidon with careful eyes as he hurries towards Link. 

Link tries to catch Sidon's gaze, a little desperate to do so as they begin to walk. Sidon refuses any acknowledgment as he makes a bee-line towards an archway to the outside, ushering Link through it and into a hallway that looks entirely submerged under water. It circles around an open courtyard, full of heavy blue and white blossoms that wave in the breeze, framed by pale blue pillars carved into gentle arcs. The flowers' movements resemble seaweed, and the plants that don't bear blossoms even look the part, and it's all rather hypnotizing to watch as they walk along. 

Just as Link finds himself wishing they could go in there, Sidon's bumping against his shoulder and urging him to turn down a beaten path. Cobbled stones line the trail into hedges taller than even Sidon, and each step further into the garden drowns more of the sound from the building and the outside world. 

By the time they reach their destination, it's completely silent. Link looks around their new surroundings, his eyes tracing the flowered, hanging boughs of trees resembling weeping willows. They encircle a small pond glowing an ethereal blue, as clear as glass; he gazes past the surface to the bottom of it. The glow seems to be coming from flowers shaped like stars at the depths of the basin, their petals still, their leaves splayed out and colored a pure silver. 

It's beautiful, and Link notes Sidon smiling as he watches Link. 

“Please, step in there,” he offers, gesturing to the pool with an arm. “It's blessed by my sister, and heals whatever ails you. Granted, you will be out for some time, but you have my word that I'll be preparing for your trip and making sure no one bothers you in the mean time. Will that be all right with you?” 

Link's not quite sure what _you'll be out for some time_ entails, but he supposes it's not the worst thing to consider. He's also pretty grimy, but he feels guilty at the idea of making the water dirty. Sidon tilts his head, watching Link watch the water carefully. 

“I know everything is unsettling right now,” he starts, slowly, leaning closer to Link with his tone subdued, “but I promised you I'd help you. First thing first is getting you hale and whole again, though. So please...” And he gestures to the pool again, his eyes soft, the yellow rimming the black of his pupils in an almost nonthreatening way. Almost. 

Link gazes into them before swallowing hard, nodding once. 

“Thank you,” Sidon breathes, letting his hands fall against Link's shoulders. His claws catch in the fabric of his shirt, and he helplessly shudders as Sidon starts tugging it around. “I think it will be in our best interests to get you a change of clothes, though. These are torn and stained, and the sooner we get you something that smells less like _you_ and more like us, the better.” 

Again, Link's mildly insulted, but he doesn't fight it. “Besides,” Sidon continues, gesturing idly to the water, “you will need to strip down before submerging yourself anyway. Is that all right...?” 

And while it's _cold_ and Link is nervous, he offers Sidon another nod, because how can he argue? Sidon's expression visibly relaxes and his eyes soften, and he smiles wide as he steps back from Link. “Take your time!” he practically coos, moving backwards towards the path that led them there. “Leave your clothes at the edge of the pool. Any personal belongings you can keep, but don't get them mixed up. I'll be back for you soon, okay?” 

Link nods one more time, and his gaze lingers on Sidon's back as it shows itself to him, fading into the darkness of the hedges. He's suddenly _very_ alone, and the lack of noise rings nothing but the sounds of a gentle breeze whisking over the grass to him. The air smells sweet again, the scent of blossoms heavy in his nose. They almost smell like oranges, yet they very distinctly smell like the salt-tanged breeze that hangs heavy in the east coasts. 

It's relaxing, at the very least. Link finally sheds his clothes after a moment of breathing deep, forcing his trembling nerves to still. He still can't quite shake the feeling of just being _off,_ like he'd been stretched and warped and put a little too far to the right. But he chalks it up to the fact that he's just trying to get used to this place. 

It's weird, and it's strange, and it offers nothing but a multitude of unspoken dangers to him. He still doesn't quite know what to think, but apparently he thinks enough of it to bare himself naked to the opening he's in, letting his clothes fall to the ground with a soft whisper. He hadn't been carrying much on him, aside from his phone and his earrings, but he tucks them away in a patch of small flowers growing at the edge of the pool. They're little blue things, their petals tipped and pointed, translucent and showing off the veins within their depths. 

Link finally dips a toe into the water and positively _gasps_ at how cold it is. It makes him want to turn tail and run away, but after a few more deep breaths, he forces himself to relax and stay put. He still feels dizzy, like the world is going to cant to the side and fall entirely away from underneath his feet. He's not quite sure if the sensation will ever go away at this point, but it's worth a try when the opportunity is laid out in front of him. 

He feels like a child as he forces himself into the water, one awkward limb at a time. The pool is much deeper than it looks, and Link's just glad he knows how to swim when he finally manages to sink below the surface. His feet never make contact with the flowers at the bottom, and he has to breach the water to breathe before he can sink too much lower. 

The cold is instantly forgotten and replaced with just how _refreshing_ it all feels, though. The water clings to his skin like an oil, shimmery and iridescent as it coats his flesh in hues of blues, whites and silvers. The cold ebbs into something warmer, and the subtle scent of vanilla and something akin to jasmine begins to fill the front of his head. It leaves him feeling hazy, his eyelids heavy as he tilts back and allows himself a moment to just float there. 

The sky hangs above him, dark and fathomless. There's not even a single star that breaks that void that hovers there, and above all else, that's what unsettles him the most about the situation. The sky seems to swirl instead, dark and ominous, looming over him with a promise that could reach out at any moment and grab Link by the throat. 

It makes him feel small and vulnerable. Like something out there is watching, waiting for its moment to strike. King Dorephan's words run circles in his head, and he can't help but think about just how he must smell to everything. Does he smell like prey? Does he mimic a scent of death to keep predators away? Or is he just enticing, begging to be played with? 

And why did Sidon not mention it? 

All things that just effectively muddle his mind. Link pouts softly as he looks towards the trees, to their grey trunks that shimmer like the silver leaves underneath him. He can't see past the trunks, now that he's noticed it, but ironically enough, it's nice. He feels contained in something safe, swaddled by the depths of the pool he's currently floating in. 

A pool that, once again, feels _incredible._ The warmth has melted into his skin, into his muscle and right to his very bones. His joints feel looser, and he feels cleaner as he allows himself another dunk underneath the surface. His hair feels feather-light and soft against his skin, splayed out in the water and ebbing with the current his limbs create. 

Link closes his eyes and leans back, a deep breath slipping past his parted lips. He really feels at _ease,_ and slowly, the sky above him doesn't seem as bad as it did the moment before. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gosh, this unending support I've been getting for this fic has just been so heartwarming and phenomenal! I really do appreciate it so much, and I'm so glad you all have been enjoying the read! I hope the update was to your liking, and I've decided it'll update every Saturday/Sunday at this point. Again, thank you so much for the love! <3 
> 
> (Also, I changed Dorephan's design a bit. I want him to be more intimidating ;-; )


	4. Unpleasantries

A general sense of unease is enough to wake anyone up: the feeling of being watched, through the window to your bedroom, and it's three in the morning and you're too scared to check; but it was your fault, because you had left the curtains open. The trees stretch their fingers out at you, their shadows creeping along your walls. The demons howl in the basement, and the creatures from the outside join in tandem. So all you can do is sit there and wallow, stewing in the self-inflicted fear of the night as it passes into the early morning of dawn. 

The sensation hits Link all too suddenly, and he goes under the water, gasping for air with limbs flailing for help. Something grabs him, yelling incoherent words that are not quite so easily heard over the din of splashing water crashing against his ear drums. 

Once he finally breaches and can see properly, he's met with a gaze so blue it almost hurts to look at. A feminine voice keeps his attention, a hand wrapped around his jaw and neck and hauling him over the edge of the pond. 

“I am so terribly sorry,” it murmurs, patting his back as he coughs up water. “I was aware you were sleeping, and I suppose I got carried away in watching you. It was so similar to us, but yet you are so _different._ So little and vulnerable, that I guess instinct took over for a moment. I'm sorry...” 

She sounds kind and sweet, and she's on her knees, leaning down low to offer as much support for Link as she possibly can. Her skin is darker in color, a deep navy blue that reminds him of the night sky back home. Her eyes are wide, lacking vertical pupils that are slanted horizontally instead. Her teeth are thinner, sharper, and she has a pointed face that lack fins at the sides. Her head slopes back into a more angular shape, and the fin (tail?) it melds into brushes the ground and ends itself in an elegant coil. Something white and glowing is attached at the tip of it, looking like a crystal that Link finds himself wanting to touch. 

But he's still trembling, managing a laugh as he leans into the arms of his helper. 

“My name is Suzha. I've been tasked with helping you gather your belongings. You've been gifted quite a bit to help you on your way... We do feel terribly bad about having to send you off.” Her voice is quiet, and her fingers are long, the webbing short and barely noticeable as she rests a hand upon his thigh. It's nearly the entire length of it. Link swallows hard as the violent shuddering of cold air starts to seep into his skin and demands his attention.

“Here,” Suzha offers, turning around to fuss behind herself. A bag rests upon the grass, made from some sort of twine colored white. Her deft fingers dig through it as she adopts a look of pure concentration, and very carefully, she begins to pull cloth from its depths. 

“Prince Sidon has said this is yours, now. You seem to be the only thing these garments will fit. Possessions from his sister before she had passed, he said. He hopes you will like them.” 

She smiles, and it's charming, despite the glimmering murder that lies within her maw. Still, she's been very nice, and she holds out the clothes in her long fingers towards Link with hope in her eyes. 

He takes them carefully, and he's just glad they're dry and _warm._ Eagerly he picks them apart, letting a blue tunic fall to the earth, his fingers brushing over trousers that feel like suede. Suzha produces a pair of leather boots, and with a bow of her head, she politely turns away. 

“I'm sorry I've seen as much as I have,” she muses, taking up a new position at the mouth of the path. She produces a long, glimmering sword of silver from a sheath upon her back, and she digs the tip into the ground with her hands wrapped about its jeweled hilt. She's guarding him, Link realizes, and his muscles relax as relief washes over him. He's extremely grateful, and he can only hope this Suzha knows this. 

“Privacy isn't as much of a thing with the Zora, as it is with the other races of this world. I imagine you're in a similar situation as them, though, with your equipment...on display, so to say.” She hums, tilting her head to the side as she draws a laugh from Link's throat. It's hoarse and strained, but considering he'd just tried to drown himself, it's no wonder it's almost gone. Suzha looks sympathetic as she glances at him from the corner of her eye, but her gaze doesn't linger as Link dresses himself. 

To his surprise, the clothes fit him like a glove. The boots are maybe a size too big, but they're comfortable as he rests his weight against the soles. The cloth smells oddly of something warmer, like cinnamon and apples and warm butter. It has his stomach growling before he can help it, and Suzha chuckles as she chances another glance back towards him. “I've been told to help you take care of that as well. You don't necessarily need to be out before the sun breaches the horizon, you know. We can treat you for a bit at the palace, granting something doesn't start coming our way because of you. The water has seemed to help with your smell, though...” 

Her eyes narrow, and she holds her head a little higher in the air. Her blue eyes dwindle to a dark black, and Link involuntarily shudders at the sight. He blames it on the water, on his wet hair tickling his skin. 

Quickly he gathers up his belongings, his phone finding home in a new pocket, his earrings slipping back into his ears. Small comforts in the greater scheme of things, which is finally settling upon his shoulders as Suzha gestures for him to follow her. The bag she'd been carrying is handed to him, and Link hugs it close as he glances around their surroundings. 

Everything is much different in the daylight. The glow of the flowers is lost to the sunshine, which dapples the garden's floor in golden light that glimmers through the leaves of the trees and hedges. Small, strange little animals flit from one set of bushes to the other, blinking their three sets of eyes at Link curiously. They look like lizards, yet they looked like cats. But they also looked like snakes, and oddly reminiscent of guinea pigs without fur. They flare their own gills as they watch them walk, diving into man-made ponds bordered with stones cut like sapphires when they get too close. 

_At least the birds look similar,_ he thinks to himself before realizing that, in fact, they do not. He turns to watch the trees, noting specks of iridescent colors in their almost-blueish foliage. Little shapes resembling round birds can be seen, but Link squints, looking harder, closer, to get the full image. 

Finally a bird hops into view, and Link lets out a little noise of surprise as he catches sight of it. The feathers are only present for its lower body, flowing out like a river into a tail behind the thing. But the rest of it looks like it's made of scales, with a crest that flares out like skin from the dinosaurs in those movies he used to enjoy. Teeth are visible in the beak of the bird, and it has three eyes on either side of its head that all glow different colors as it watches him. 

It opens its beak, and the noise it makes sounds more like a revving engine than it does birdsong. Link can't help but watch in awe as it flies away, using wings half-covered in feathers to propel itself into the endlessly blue sky. 

“We call those _numbi_ ,” Suzha says, having watched Link the entire time. “That one was just a babe. Usually they swell to the size of our smallest, fully grown. Bit of a pain, if they mistake you for the food they're trying to catch for themselves.” She smiles, giggling behind her fingers. “But they are mostly water-side dwellers. You shouldn't have to worry about them, unless you love the rivers and lakes very much.” 

Guiding them back into the hallways that line the courtyard, Suzha gestures to the door Sidon had led Link through the night before. 

“The King has requested an audience with you. I'll be accompanying you, though, to help you feel comfortable. He wishes to have a more amicable chat with you, since last night was bordering the tense with such an unknown being as yourself suddenly appearing in our midst.” 

Link swallows hard and he's not terribly sure how he should feel about all of this, but he nods anyway as his fingers play at the hem of his new shirt. Which is surprisingly soft, now that he thinks about it. He hugs himself around the fabric, following Suzha through the doors that lead back to into the entry hall. 

It's the same as last night: the sound of water splashing against stone fills the air, and the strange noises of almost-engines being revved mixed with something more similar to birdsong is carried along on the outside breeze. Link allows himself another glance around the room, noting the intricate structures arching over doors and openings that all lead to different parts of the palace. 

Dorephan sits where he'd been last night, adorned in golden jewels inlaid with rubies carved like eyes. They hang from the sides of his face, giving off the illusion that he, too, holds more than one pair of eyes, like the creatures outside. It is rather convincing, and Link finds himself somewhat more perturbed the longer he looks. 

“Please,” Dorephan murmurs, a smile on his features, “take a seat. I'd like to get to you know you better, before you must go.” He gestures to a chair in front of his throne, a plush, velveteen thing that's considerably smaller than the usual ones Link's seen so far. He really has to wonder if it's for visitors. 

Suzha leaves his side as he starts towards the thing, taking up a position at Dorephan's flank instead. She offers him a smile and a wink (an oddly human-like thing to do, which helps calm him considerably) before going completely still, her sword in front of her once more, her stance opened wide. She's as stoic as a statue, melding into the background as Dorephan's voice commands his attention. 

“It is unfortunate we cannot learn your name, human. Especially so, with names being such an important, integral subject in the world in which we abide.”

He sighs, and he leans his head against a curled fist. The jewelry at his wrists seems to be glowing, but Link doesn't let his gaze linger as he tilts his head instead, doing his best to look as curious about that statement as he possibly can. 

“A name is your own,” Dorephan elaborates, squinting his eyes in something akin to a warm, sincere expression. “A gift to you, from someone beloved. Or perhaps a gift to oneself. It's what keeps you safe, per se. A secret refuge, when you need it. The fact that you are silent and without a name could prove to be dangerous, if you are to be in this world an extended period of time.” 

He goes silent, and Link just twiddles his thumbs anxiously in his lap. Dorephan's expression contorts into something unknown, barely wistful, angry. He taps the talons of his free hand against his throne, his head leaning to the side as he looks out of an archway. 

“My daughter, Sidon's sister, Mipha. Her death was indirectly caused by a human. Her heart was kind and compassionate, and she felt the need to guard his life while he escaped. But as future Queen, she held the link with the Divine Beast that guards our domain.” 

Link tried to catch Dorephan's attention as he spoke, to try and point out the fact that he'd _said his name,_ but the King was lost in his own head, his words spilling out in tandem with the water around them. 

“With her help, that human had managed to find its way back home. But they were confronted before the rift that divides our worlds, and she took the blow from the one we call Ganon, and ultimately sacrificed herself to the Unknown.” 

They're suddenly knee-deep in a tough subject, one that obviously never allowed the scars to properly heal. Dorephan's having a hard time looking back at Link, not once meeting a gaze desperately trying to point out he'd said his name. Suzha had picked up on his gesturing with a blink of her eyes, her own gaze upon him, but she kept quiet. 

Finally, Link just leans back in his seat and decides to keep quiet, too. It was a rather selfish thing to do, in light of the current situation.

“Her death was not only tragic for me, but for our people as well. As a future Queen, she held the power of healing only found within her bloodline. Queens are able to produce the Kings that can properly protect our realm, and are rare-born, even amongst the royal line. The loss of her spells uncertainty for our people, and ever since her death, I've harbored...dark clouds, uneasy emotions, towards your ilk. You understand. Don't you?” 

His tone darkens, and Link feels a shiver fighting its way down his spine. Dorephan's eyes are upon his, the deep red of his irises barely visible as his pupils fluctuate. Link swallows hard and nods, his fingers gripping the edge of his seat to the point his knuckles turn white. 

“However, I have no reason to distrust you, as of yet. My son seems rather infatuated with the idea of you, willing to go out of his way to help you as best as he can. Good intentions that are paving your road with better influence than the wilds. I can approve of that much.” His words are muttered, his gaze turned to Suzha now. “Suzha will help with gathering the rest of your belongings. It is not much, simply a means to defend yourself, and rations to keep you going through the next few cycles of the sun. A map of our area as well, marked with the safest places to be when the night falls.” 

Link manages a nod, hoping his eyes convey the relief he's feeling. He's utterly terrified of the idea of being out there all alone, but at least he has something to build a foundation upon; and hopefully, if Sidon is still willing to help him, he'll at least have support, and a companion to boot.

“You two may go,” Dorephan pipes up, slowly standing from his throne and displaying a massive height, pushing at least fourteen feet. It leaves Link a little slack-jawed, staring as Dorephen descends the steps of his seat. Link watches as the man stops in front of him, eyes narrowed and teeth glimmering in the sunlight before he speaks again, his voice low. “But I must request one thing of you: if my son attempts to follow you, send him back home. Leave him in the night, if you must. I cannot risk losing another of my kin.” 

And his eyes are sorrowful, his tone forlorn. His gaze lingers upon Link's for a moment past unnervingly uncomfortable, but all too soon the sounds of his jewelry tinkling are all that's heard as he walks away. The corridors swallow his massive form and he's gone, leaving just Link and Suzha in silence. 

“Well,” she perks up, cautiously, after a moment, “that went well. Honestly, I'm sure he'll welcome you back if you can just fix that smelly issue of yours. Eating our food and consuming our drink will help with that, as well as just spending as much time here as you can. It'll take some time, though, unfortunately. A lot of things will probably be out for your blood if they catch wind of it, too.” 

A truly reassuring statement, something Link can't help but chuckle dryly at. Suzha's own voice lilts with his, and she offers him a quirk of her lips as she gestures for him to follow her. 

“You'll be fine, either way. The only thing that's proven itself to be a worthy menace is the lynel. But it lives in the mountains by itself, so I don't think you'll have to worry.” She hums quietly after speaking, and Link takes note it's the same tune she'd been humming earlier. 

It's nice to listen to. 

They walk to its rhythm down an enclosed hallway, before Suzha's stopping him in front of a white, ivory-esque door. She takes it by a golden handle and pops it open, revealing something of a bedroom past its protective barrier. 

“You may relax here for now,” she permits, smiling warmly as she holds the door open. “A meal will be brought to you shortly. For now, you'll find the rest of your given belongings. I'll be just around the corner, if you need me.” She gestures down the hall, before offering Link a small wave. The subtle echo of her footsteps signals her departure, and soon Link's left entirely alone as he wanders inside the room. 

It's white, brighter than the usual blue hues of the rest of the city that he's seen. The windows harbor no glass, draped over by gossamer curtains that billow outward in the gentle breeze. The sunlight has washed itself over what Link assumes to be the bed, a giant thing resembling an oyster's shell and filled deep with warm, clear water. Inside the shell, Link can see it lined with pearls, and towards the back there's an engraved indent that looks suspiciously like where large heads go. 

If he were a zora, it'd look mighty comfy. 

But he's just a human, and he sighs as he rubs at the back of his head. His hair has dried, and the cut from the day before seems to have vanished. Spotting a mirror in the corner of the room, Link wanders over to it with a heaviness in his step he can't seem to shake. 

Despite feeling so well-rested, Link still looks _tired._ Blue eyes sunken into the sallow of his hollowed eyes stare back at him, and he rubs at them a little self-consciously as he looks himself over. He seems to be completely healed, at the very least; upon closer inspection, he can't even find the scars he'd acquired as a kid. His skin is soft and rejuvenated, his hair just as much so. 

He pulls it back and ties it off with a string he finds in his bag, then lets the bag plop to the floor as he looks around once more. 

As promised, upon the polished surface of a desk carved to resemble coral, there's something glimmering. Link steps closer to it, noting the curve of a jeweled hilt, the stretch of silver metal that ends in a fine, sharpened point. 

He blinks. 

He's literally been given a _sword._ A bow rests upon the wall beside it, a quiver full of arrows with equally-silver heads resting beneath it. A literal sword and bow have been gifted to him, and Link feels the ground sway as he thinks about the fact that he's never _used any of these._

But...it's all better than nothing, he supposes. He carefully picks the sword up, noting the weight, how it feels in his hand. It's nice and light, not terribly heavy. Easy enough for him to swing around, and it feels like nothing as he ties its hilt around his waist and lets it rest there. (Hopefully that's even the right thing to do.) 

He feels incredibly awkward. Like some kind of LARPer, really. Embarrassment pokes at his gut for whatever reason, and he can't help but blush as he picks the bow up next. They're _beautiful_ pieces of equipment, for sure, but Link's just not terribly sure about how he should feel about all of this. He was hoping Sidon would be the one to help him out, to guide him, but...

Dorephan's words echo in his head, strong and firm. Link doesn't have a clue as to where Sidon is right now, but apparently his father knows him well enough to predict the fact he might follow Link out into the waiting wilderness. And while Link would welcome it, it...it is a selfish thing to welcome. Sidon is someone's son, someone loved and needed when it comes to his people. To try and drag him away from all of this is wrong and _dangerous_ for him. Sidon is kind, and Link greatly appreciated his help and his generosity, but if he were to find his way back home, doing it on his own would probably be the best way to go. 

Even so, seeing Sidon once more would have been nice. Suzha was nice and all, but she just wasn't the same. 

Heaving a deep, disappointed breath, Link fiddles with the string to the bow, fighting the quiver in his fingertips as he does. His heart beats a little more quickly, his stomach sinks a little lower, and by the time someone is knocking on his door and entering with something steaming in their hands, he just isn't hungry anymore. 

But a little white Zora reminding him of a nurse shark offers him a smile, her pink eyes sparkling as she looks Link over. 

“We weren't sure what you'd like,” she murmurs, voice quiet and gentle, “but we hope this is at least somewhat pleasing to your palate. Everything was cooked based on experience with other races similar to yours. If anything needs to be fixed, though, don't be afraid to come find me. My name's Auria.” She smiles and bows, and Link, for whatever reason, feels somewhat more relaxed in her presence. She radiates an aura that is warm and soft, and Link is almost a little sad to feel it go as she walks back out the door. 

Either way, the tray she'd left behind on the table is something else to focus on. The object itself feels like marble, and engraved upon its surface are coiling designs that resemble painted currents in an ocean. Meats seared to dark and light browns adorn the center of the plate, and everything looks and smells enough like fish that Link deems it safe enough to eat. 

He moves to a chair, dragging it over to the table before hoisting himself up onto it, the bow settling awkwardly upon his lap. He is careful to mind the translucent cup that is settled into the corner of the tray, watching a translucent green liquid lap at the sides as he accidentally bumps himself against the leg of the table. It's the first thing he picks up, though, and he brings the cup to his nose and gives it a cautious whiff. 

Despite the color, it smells like vanilla. He takes the tiniest of sips, letting the liquid coat his tongue to savor the flavor. It is rather harsh, kind of salty at first, but the aftertaste it leaves behind is soft and refreshing, reminding him of lemon cookies. All kind of bizarre, a strange taste to get used to, but the more he sips at it, the better it tastes. 

Near the end, it's just as pleasant as saltwater taffy. 

Link moves on to the actual food, poking at it cautiously with a finger. Nothing is wriggling, and nothing is overly slimy. In fact, it looks like the skin has been seared in something like salt, and upon pressing the tip of his finger to his tongue, that's exactly what it tastes like. 

It's a bit awkward eating with said fingers, but Link pulls apart the filet of a fish with six fins and one eye. The eye freaks him out, but the meat underneath the skin is as white as snow. Despite the crunchy exterior, it really doesn't look like it's been cooked at all; but it feels warm, and Link slowly lets some of the meat fall onto his tongue with a curiosity that just couldn't wait any longer. 

His stomach wakes up with a vengeance at the taste that floods his buds. It's like it had been cooked with salt and lime, the juices infused with the meat and making him shudder at the zing. It's a strong taste, but it's wonderful as Link starts wolfing his food down. He has three of the strange, one-eyed fish to eat, and an array of smaller, shrimp-looking creatures set to the side. They are glazed, it seems, in something sweet, yet almost kind of sour. Link spends more time on the little prawns, noting two large legs in the front and two smaller legs at their backs. They're as long as his middle finger, with eyes scattered at their front like a spider's. Also pretty terrifying, but they're easy enough to ignore as he pulls the meat from their rock-hard shells. 

Their physical appearance may have reminded him of shrimp, but their taste reminds him oddly of beef. It's a tough thing to chew around, but like the other things, the more he eats of it, the better it gets. 

He eats it all in silence, hunched over the table with his thoughts coming to a standstill. There is a lot to process, a lot he needs to reconcile, but once again, he just refuses to do so. His body wants to shut down completely and insist on another nap, and looking back at the strange bed, he is tempted to do just that. To be thrown out in a world unknown, all by himself, is just a little too much to handle.

To be proven dangerous to an entire race of individuals leaves him feeling miserable, too. Link sighs, poking at his nearly-finished food with sullen eyes. The worst part of it all is just the fact that he can't _talk_. With no way to defend himself or prove his own points, he just has to lie down and take whatever comes his way, no ifs, ands, or buts. 

And it all royally sucks. 

Again, he's probably being selfish. There is more to all of this than just him, but a shred of sympathy would have been nice.

But at the end of the day, he supposes he found that in Sidon. He just has to let it go, even if he's been the one dragged into this world against his will, not the other way around.

Pushing his food away, Link's lost appetite settles into the pit of his stomach and makes it rumble irritably. The food was positively wonderful, but with the weight of everything else growing heavy upon his shoulders, he just isn't in the mood for it anymore. Suzha is probably expecting him, too. With a deep breath, he gathers the rest of his belongings up and moves out to find her. 

She's sitting in a sort of open room, with a domed roof and windows that are missing their own glass as well. The curtains ripple in colors of blues, pinks, and purples, shielding a balcony from sight where other zora lounge in the sun. Suzha herself is rubbing something on her skin, giving it an oiled sheen that shimmers in the sunlight that basks the room in a warm, golden glow. 

She catches sight of Link and blinks, her eyes going wide. “Oh!” she exclaims, getting to her feet with a toothy smile. “You're all done? If you are, I suppose it's time for me to guide you out somewhere safer. Is that okay with you?” 

She bows her head, her blue eyes empathetic. “I know this is going to be rough. I'll stay with you as long as I can.”

And there's a promise in her words that has Link nodding despite how he feels. He doesn't _want_ to go, but he has to, and he just has to suck it up and deal with the fact sooner or later. 

Suzha offers him a pat to the shoulder before moving to his front, gesturing with a finger for him to follow her. 

They walk in silence, out into the wet air that awaits them outside. The sky is clear and the sun is shining, but the mugginess of the weather drags down Link's skin and wrings the sweat from his flesh. The indoors had been a lot more bearable; outside, he feels like they're walking through literal soup. It's hot, it's steamy, and Link desperately tries to fan himself with a hand as they walk through the city's sloping paths. 

The view around them offers a distraction, at the very least. Details hidden in the evening air show themselves in the harsh sunlight of their present, showcasing the fact that everything had been built up into the air. All around them are towering waterfalls, roaring in the distance with a force that rivals even the great cascades back home. The falls all empty themselves into a basin below the suspended city, where, if Link squints hard enough, he can see even more structures like houses and zora themselves swimming in the water. 

Strange music can be heard in the distance again, though it's fainter than it had been the night before. Flowers with heavy, swollen blossoms weave their paths along the railings of bridges and sprawl up the sides of buildings, and the scent of burning wood hangs heavy in the air as it mixes with the moisture of the lakes and rivers around them. 

It really is such a quaint place to be, but once more, Link notices a crowd beginning to form around him and Suzha as they walk. 

“You can walk with me,” she murmurs, glancing to Link from the corner of her eye. “They're all just curious, but I imagine it must be rather unpleasant, being the center of all that attention.” 

Link always liked to think he had a thick skin, but he gratefully accepts the offer as he quickly falls into step beside Suzha. The whispers are loud and plenty, the eyes of the many piercing as they pick him apart from a distance. Link keeps his gaze low again, fighting the urge to hug Suzha's arm as they move along.

She keeps close, and Link doesn't waver from her side. She is quiet, humming instead that same tune from earlier in time with the music in the distance. At this point, Link is pretty sure he has a good handle of the melody. He's too shy to try and hum along, though, keeping to himself with his belongings clutched close to his side. 

Eventually the outskirts of the town are upon them, and the zora of the city linger at the mouth of a bridge that spans the chasm below them. It guides them to a mountain path, the gentle slopes on either side of them a rich green and covered in waving grass as the wind brushes along their tips. Creatures with wings flutter through the sky, singing, squeaking, mimicking an old car that makes Link a little homesick for the motorcycles that used to ravage his old road. 

Once again, the sky spans out in front of them, so large, so wide, so endless, making him feel small and insignificant the longer he looks at it. 

“There is an old lookout post down this road we zora used to use back in the day,” Suzha murmurs, grabbing Link's attention as she gestures down the path. “It is abandoned now, but it should still be stocked with wood for fires, and there is a structure there where you can rest. I recommend staying there for a couple days as you gather your bearings and learn of what you need to do next. As I recall, the King has offered advice in way of your map.”

She looks to Link, and it's only now that he realizes she has some sort of armor covering her body. Something resembling a breastplate covers her chest, and her arms are wrapped in a thick, black leather that's accentuated with the same metal her top is made of. She wears a necklace, and it's reminiscent of Sidon's and Dorephan's. Now that he thinks about it, pretty much every zora he's seen has worn something similar. Must be a cultural thing, along with the intricate jewelry. 

They walk some more in silence nonetheless, and Link's grateful he's been getting so much physical activity in lately. The terrain turns a little rough as it begins to twist up the side of a mountain, a slope that would have been unforgiving to anyone not used to it. He manages to keep up with Suzha as they walk, though sooner than later she's stopping him where the trees begin to grow again. 

“Keep to the path, and in a few paces, you'll see the structure I was talking about,” Suzha says, stopping at the edge of clawed branches that reach out to them, threatening to grab them and never let go. 

She turns to look at Link, her expression apologetic. “I can't go with you any further. But I do patrol this area in the mornings, if you find yourself here for a few days. You can always come to find me. But for now, I'm deeply sorry to admit this is farewell.” 

She bows her head, and there's a pain in her voice that resonates with Link's heart. 

“It truly was a pleasure to meet you. If you're ever in need of allies, remember my name, and perhaps one day I can help you more than I have here.” 

Link can only just swallow hard and nod, but he does finally reach for Suzha's hand and shakes it. She's bewildered, but she allows Link to finish the gesture and let go of her before she pulls back and starts to walk away. 

Link watches her go for as long as he can. Soon the walls of the mountains are swallowing her whole, and all that's left to look at are the green, rolling structures of stone and tall, towering trees that resemble pine. The same strange birdsong can be heard from within their depths, but they lack the guttural noise of the birds Suzha's claimed attack smaller zora at the water's edges. It's a small comfort, and Link finally takes a deep breath as he pushes slowly onward into the trees. 

The forest is dark, barely letting any sunlight breach the boughs. But luckily for him, the structure Suzha was talking about awaits him down the path, to his right. It's decrepit, falling in on itself, overgrown with moss and ivy. Or at least that's what it seems to be to Link, anyway. The stones crumble and the doorway is barely a thing as Link walks up to it, slipping inside and nearly slipping onto his backside when he steps in something slick. 

It's slimy, almost, and Link grimaces as he wipes his shoe on more dry marble flooring. The structure looks similar to the ones in the city, if a little less elaborate and more cheap-looking. The walls are just grey stone, and wooden rafters barely keep the bowing ceiling overhead. The beds have been filled in with dirt, and any semblance of desks and dressers are now just piles of rubbish strewn across the floor. The same, strange slime clings to the ceiling, dripping down occasionally into puddles dotted against the wall's edges.

Link wanders to the least-disturbed corner of the building, sighing heavily as he plops down against the wall. It feels scratchy, and his hair catches against the surface of the stone, but it feels nice to at least sit while he catches his breath.

That nap he thought about from earlier still sounds tempting. 

It is with great distaste that Link keeps himself from dozing, though. Instead he tugs at the bag he'd been given near himself, lets his bow fall to the floor, and lets the sword at his hip do the same. But Quite frankly, this is all _ridiculous_. 

_He_ feels ridiculous, _this_ is ridiculous, the _entire situation_ is _dumb._ He's gone from finding himself enshrouded in awe to just...to just _angry,_ wanting to scream to the sky and backtrack to where he'd come from. Surely his way home would be from there, right?

Or, maybe, he's just stuck in an asinine dream. 

Link sucks in a deep breath and quickly moves to pinch himself, hissing through his teeth as he digs his nails into his skin. He doesn't stop until he draws blood, watching in dismay as the red washes over his arm and catches in the perspiration that lingers upon his skin, blooming outward like little petals as it suspends itself upon his flesh.

A moment of still silence passes, and Link grabs the sword and _throws_ it. The bag is soon to follow, the bow next, until he finally allows himself to fall onto his side once everything has crashed to the opposite side of the room. 

He doesn't know what to do.

He's lost, he's exhausted, and he just wants _someone_ there to help him. A headache pricks at the side of his head, and the pressure in his chest makes his heartbeat feel dull, panicked and fluttered as he fights to breathe. Why this is hitting him now is beyond him, but he bites his arm and buries his face into the crook of it, determined to close the world out from around himself. 

Maybe if he just takes a moment to lie there and gather his bearings, it'll be better. After all, Suzha had mentioned a map; if he can find himself elsewhere, maybe he can find someone else willing to help him out. 

As it stands, though, he's terribly lost and alone, admittedly terrified as the forest gradually goes quiet around him. How long he's been lying there, he doesn't know, but he does know the only thing to drag him from his stupor is the sound of something rustling outside, a low growl of a creature turning his blood cold and sending his heart to the roof of his mouth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -tosses confetti into the air- Wee! I apologize for the lack of Sidon in this chapter, but he'll be back soon! In the mean time, enjoy some minor oc characters lol ;v; Thank you all so much for your support you've been giving these past few chapters though! It really does mean a lot. <3


	5. Small Reuinions

Link swallows around the impending panic and forces himself to breathe. His heart's fit to burst through his breastbone, knocking against it and drowning his ears in nothing but the _pounding._ He shoves himself against the wall, hugging it as hard as he can while fighting for both air and a clear conscience. 

The thing outside seems to be of the same mindset. Link can still hear its panting, heavy and harrowed, labored, and he notes the occasional rustling of something pressing against the outside walls. Link's as quiet as he can manage to be, and the other thing seems to be following suit. They both wait, and they watch for any signs of movement.

It's darker now, the sky outside turning a rich shade of violet as the stars begin to hang heavy in the air; but they're quickly fading at the horizon, their lights going out one by one through the leaves and leaving the land swathed in darkness. There's a red tint to the sky as it grows darker, blacker, and the scene has Link's stomach feeling entirely unsettled as he fights with himself for a solution to this mess. 

The thing keeps quiet, at first. It was obviously curious as to what was inside the structure Link was in, but after a bit, it was almost like it had walked away. Link's honed in on any sound it might make, his eyes wide, pupils blown, barely allowing himself to breathe as he _listens._

A good moment passes before he feels brave enough to move. 

His clothes catch on the wall, and the slightest of whispers from the fabric moving against his skin can be heard—otherwise unnoticeable, but it's enough to make the thing outside _roar,_ and Link's blood runs cold as he slides down the wall and hits the floor instead. 

The thing outside beats against the stones, causing them to give and crumble to the floor. They're sturdy and had seemed like they could put up with quite a bit of pressure, but Link watches in panicked horror as the walls begin to cave in on themselves nonetheless. The creature is treating the place like it's made of styrofoam. He couldn't see much from the door he'd crawled through earlier, but the thing's made a large enough hole that it's nearly entirely on display.

Blacker than the night and quick as a shadow, its shapeless body is all Link can see through the door. The sky, for reasons Link's mind can't quite wrap itself around, has gone red as blood, and the thing's fur reflects it back to him. It gives off the illusion of something covered in the stuff, its maw stretching wide as it continues to beat its snout against the door frame.

Frozen in place, Link can only watch with delayed reflexes at the creature forces itself into the same space as him. 

He's met with four eyes, and the noise emanating from the thing's throat sounds like a dog's growl, only warped and twisted and...distant, almost. The thing itself isn't entirely _there,_ its frame almost glitched and fading in and out from sight. The air around it wavers like the heat rising from asphalt on a summer's afternoon, and when it lunges for him, its clawed arm rips through the air and only phases through his head. 

No contact is made, but the cold that washes over Link _burns._ He can't help a stifled cry of pain as he recoils backwards, a hand flailing against the floor towards his abandoned sword. His fingers are only met with dust and rubble, and his vision is full of nothing but the creature as he attempts to twist around and away from it. 

Something much more firm holds him down by the shoulder, and the creature leans close as it digs its claws into Link's flesh, effectively closing what window of opportunity he'd had to escape. Its mouth hangs open, dripping with saliva and something slick, black as its body and thick as glue as it dribbles against Link's cheek. It smells like a sewer bursting, and Link whimpers pathetically as it leans closer, the heat from its mouth washing over his face. 

His eyes manage to look into that of the creature's, turning slowly, noting himself reflected back in their emotionless depths. There are no lids to blink with, and up close like this, the creature's skin seems to be writhing. The same reason why protrudes from flesh burnt like leather, little maggot-looking things that reach for Link's own skin. Up close, the creature's the size of a boar and just as heavy as one as it moves to dig both hands into his sides, rendering Link completely immobile. 

Link cries out and feels himself lose contact with the floor as he's lifted like a rag doll—yet, still, he can't help but watch helplessly as the creature's mouth opens wider, wider, like a snake unhinging its jaw as it feeds. The awful stench increases tenfold, nauseating Link and making him feel weak in the joints. The creature's claws sink into his ribs, and his clothes feel wet, absorbing the blood as it trickles down his skin.

Link's on the verge of losing his consciousness, and what voice that's left to him is lost to the chill of the night air.

But just before the coin drops and everything goes black, Link's thrown to the floor with an agonizing crunch. He crumples to his side, his ears ringing with the rush of blood and his eyes blown wide as the creature's suddenly thrown to the side of the room with him. A flash of red is merely a blur in the air, and another guttural growl joins the howls of the creature's as it flashes to its feet. It engulfs the red and there's a moment of struggle before something silver protrudes through the black. 

The creature lets out a scream, the noise chilling Link to the bone. It's high-pitched and echoes through the trees, and the creature struggles as the noise continues to emanate from the very depths of its body. It flails with its claws, its voice never once pausing as it catches the figure with the red body and tears into it. 

There's a grunt, a final twist of gleaming silver, and the scream is cut off with the sound of blood splashing to the stones; yet the voice continues to gurgle weakly, the creature slouching before being tossed to the wall. It hits the bouldered stones with a crunch worse than Link's own, and he watches in shock as the creature's twitching limbs finally die. 

Link pants heavily, unable to tear his gaze away from the body. Even dead, it continues to look like something forcing itself through a ripple in space, and its blood begins to boil and eat through whatever surface it's been splashed upon. 

Another voice can be heard, and Link's vaguely aware of a weight upon his shoulder. It takes until the body of the creature seemingly _melts_ into a pile of distorted bones before he realizes something is trying to catch his attention, and he looks towards it with a jerk of his head and a shaking gasp. 

Sidon's before him, eyes wide and glowing a soft yellow in the dim. 

“Are you all right, my friend?” he's asking, both hands steadying Link by his bleeding shoulders. 

Link feels the farthest thing from _okay,_ but he's still alive, and he supposes that's something he should take into consideration and be grateful about. After all, Sidon was the one who came back to him, saving him from that creature and from what was surely death. 

Mild relief washes over Link and he nods, leaning into Sidon's arms and allowing himself the trembles in his muscles. He can't really move, and he's glad Sidon seems receptive to the gesture, wrapping an arm tight around Link instead of pushing him away. 

“I'm terribly sorry I couldn't have come sooner,” Sidon murmurs, his voice quiet as his talons pick at the sides of Link's shirt. “It seems you aren't terribly hurt, but after I'd just gotten you back home and healed...” 

He sighs, and it takes Link everything he has at the moment to lean back, to catch Sidon's gaze and offer him a reassuring shake of the head. 

Sidon's expression seems to melt into something softer, but it's hidden as he turns away. “We should light a fire,” he muses, reaching for Link's abandoned bag. He pulls it to him with ease, his longer arms catching the sword and bow in the meantime as well. Link just watches and finds himself leaning against the rocks, holding his side to stem the steady ooze of blood from fresh cuts. Sidon's right; it isn't terribly bad, but that thing had squeezed him so hard he could see the bruises forming already, even in the eerie, red light the sky offered. 

Link gives it a rather unsure look as Sidon shuffles about. Sidon seems to notice, for he's reaching out to tap Link's nose and direct his gaze lower, to a pile of wood he's somehow managed to gather at inhuman speed. But considering he isn't quite human...well.

“Pay no attention to that,” Sidon says, waving his talons around, showing off a bundle of blue leaves in the palm of his other hand. “Instead, would you mind lighting the fire for me? I'm ashamed to admit I'm not terribly fond of doing it myself...” 

He drops a piece of something hard and black in Link's hand, and he isn't really sure why he flinches at first. It's just _flint._ Or at least, it's something that looks like flint. Either way, he's just glad he at least knows how to utilize it, and that it's not going to bite him at any given moment. 

He takes it and an arrowhead from the quiver at his side, offering Sidon a small smile as he scoots towards the wood. At a closer glance it just seems to be a pile of random debris with small, wooden sticks from the rafters mixed in. Sidon had probably just scooped it all together in a hurry, giving Link a sense of urgency and the thought that hey, maybe he should quit fussing around. Quickly, he strikes the metal of the arrowhead against the stone, managing to at least get a spark going.

It takes him a good few moments to get it to grow, but soon there's an ember in the depths of the pile, getting larger with every second and each babied breath Link offers the flames. They engulf the entirety of the pile, and Sidon sighs in relief as he drops the leaves he'd been clutching in his hand to the flames.

A second later and the fire erupts with a _whoosh,_ blazing a bright white before the flames settle on a deep, blue color. Everything is _blue_ when it comes to the zora, and while Link is pretty sure he knows why, he still wants to ask if there's any reasoning behind it. 

Either way, a soft scent drifts towards his nose and distracts him momentarily. It smells like Dreamcicles almost, and he finds it's oddly comforting. Link feels himself slouch, noting the obvious relaxed muscles in Sidon's own shoulders. He looks to the guy with a curious expression, pointing to his chest in the hopes to get his question across to him. 

“Oh!” Sidon perks up once it seems to register, and he, too, is scooting closer to the fire (though he seems more keen on sticking closer to Link instead.) 

“It's a protective ward. On nights like tonight, it's almost necessary you use one. It purifies the area the light touches, and the scent clogs the senses of the Nameless Ones and confuses them, directing them away from you and to somewhere else instead. You've unfortunately had to see one of them already...” He sighs, and he offers Link another gentle pat to the shoulder, his talon dipping low to stroke his bicep, his gaze falling with it. Sidon's pupils seem to engorge, and Link clears his throat to grab his attention again. 

“Ah! My apologies.” Sidon blinks his eyes a few times (and does he have two eyelids? Or is that a trick of the light?), passing Link's bag over the fire. Link struggles for a moment to take it, his arms feeling like they'd rather fall off than reach up, but soon enough it's a pleasant cushion for him to rest upon in his lap. He takes a moment to lean and catch his breath, and Sidon allows him to do so in silence. 

“I do wish my father would have least told you about the blood moon,” Sidon finally mutters, warily poking at the fire with a piece of rafter he'd been fussing with. Link watches as the flames lick upwards, chasing smoke into the air above them. Even the smoke has a certain iridescence to it, reflecting colors in shades of purples and greens before disappearing completely. 

“I mean, I wouldn't expect him to. He has no reason to trust nor care about you, but it was...it was certain death, sending you out here on your own. Surely the others must have forgotten, but he knows. I know he does...” Sidon looks to his arms, to the bracelets adorning his wrists. They're glowing too, reminding Link of Dorephan's. The only thing he can figure is that it's some kind of power that has to do with the Kings, but as to how that can apparently predict the cycles of the moon, Link isn't quite sure. 

Sidon turns to give him a somber look, his shoulders slouched, his strange head-tail looking a little heavier than usual. Link finds himself wanting to reach out and stroke it. He refrains, though. 

“Please,” Sidon continues, and the sincerity, the desperation, is thick and apparent in the tone of his voice. “I _know_ he must have told you to send me back home, if you were to see me. Or to leave me and move on elsewhere, but I am begging you my friend-” he reaches out to grab Link's hands (but his own are so big, they end up holding his arms instead)- “but please, allow me to accompany you. There is a reason and many more why I desire to be at your side. There have been some things sitting with me over the last few group of seasons that simply do not rest well in my heart. To seek these answers out for myself would put me at ease, and if I can help you in the process, become a companion to help guide you, then I would be ever so honored to be at your side.” 

The confession is so sudden and so heartfelt that Link finds himself momentarily stunned. Sidon's leaned closer and Link can smell his breath, fishy and also sort of fresh, like he's eaten an after-dinner mint recently. His teeth are so _white,_ aligned almost perfectly in his maw, and Link can see not one row of them, but two. Sidon's got a long, thin tongue, and- 

And Link snaps his gaze back to Sidon's, blushing softly. Hopefully the red hue outside of their fire's general vicinity hides it. Sidon doesn't seem to notice at the very least, his gaze intent on staying on Link's. 

It takes Link a moment to finally nod, and the crushing weight that is a relieved Sidon draping himself over Link's body nearly presses him to the floor. 

“Oh, _thank you,_ my friend,” he's practically crying, squeezing Link closer in an iron grip that's supposed to be a hug. It feels more like attempted murder than anything, and he can't help but tap Sidon's arm in a desperate attempt to get him to let go. 

Sidon's unrelenting, but eventually he lets Link go. “Thank you,” he says again, a little mantra on his lips, a grin stretching his great maw wide with genuine happiness. (Though to anyone else, it might look like Sidon's found himself dinner for the night.) 

But Link reassures himself with the fact that he is _not_ food, and he smiles in turn, albeit a little hesitantly. He can't help but remember Dorephan's words, about that girl Mipha, the daughter he'd lost some time ago. Sidon was probably all that was left to him, with a wife seemingly missing from his life. Or...mate? Did they do that kind of stuff? Link really doesn't know, and it's filling him with a bizarre array of ideas he probably shouldn't be thinking too hard on at the moment, lest he try to ask an inappropriate question for the situation. 

Thankfully Sidon's moved on, sifting through Link's bag again with a look of pure concentration on his face. Link wants to argue about things like _hey, that's mine, show some respect for my privacy,_ but for all he knows, Sidon himself had put that bag together. So he shuts himself up and watches instead, rubbing at his sore sides with his head tilted. 

Sidon suddenly pulls something out of the bag with such a flourish it makes Link jump again, his paranoia spiking through the roof. He can't help but feel like they're being watched, hunted, and it has him feeling uneasy as he brings himself to watch what Sidon's doing again. 

He's only holding dried fish it seems, and Link manages to relax as some of it's passed to him. 

“Here,” Sidon offers, bouncing it gently in his hand before Link takes it. “You should eat. There's a salve in here I'll prepare for your wounds. Won't be as effective, or as immediate as the pool, but it'll do while we're forced to stay out here for the night.” 

Link takes it, though he's not too keen on eating. Adrenaline from earlier is still hot and heavy in his veins, and his limbs are still trembling, urging him to go, to run, to _hide._ Sidon taking something from the bag, popping it in his mouth, and chewing on it like he's eating a lemon really doesn't help either. 

...Though the face he was making was pretty great. Link watches with some amusement as he picks at the food in his hand, nibbling at dried flesh that tastes like what he'd imagine cola would taste like as a food. Except salty, instead of sweet. It's not that great, the more he focuses on it, but he eats it anyway. It gives his hands something to do. 

Eventually Sidon spits out whatever he's been chewing into the palm of his hand, and he leans close to Link with it outstretched. “Rub this on your wounds,” he murmurs, tilting his hand near the light of the fire to show off the glimmering surface of... 

Well, whatever it is, it looks like vomit. It makes Link almost kind of want to vomit, too. The smell is at least decent, more airy than sour, but the look of it still greatly unsettles Link's stomach. Sidon's looking at him expectantly, though, and before Link can wallow in the fact it looks like _vomit_ much longer, he's scooping some of the substance onto a talon and reaching out for Link instead. 

_Hey,_ Link finds himself signing, pure habit working his muscles into signs of defiance. _Don't do that. Don't-_

But it's too late as Sidon's lifting his shirt, smearing the vomit-stuff onto his skin without further ado. “There we go,” he muses, ignoring the fact Link's gone stiff as a board, the hairs on his neck and arms rising. The stuff's _cold,_ too, and it sends an unwarranted shiver down Link's spine as Sidon's talon glides across his skin. It's such a weirdly intimate gesture too, that Link's not really able to relax until he's pulling away, moving around to his other side, a claw poised for more vomit-stuff assault. 

Link pulls away, shyly reaching out instead to dip a finger into the salve; and god, it even feels like vomit too, but he tries to ignore the feeling swelling in his gut as he busies himself with the rest of his cuts and bruises brushed along his ribcage.

“I'm glad to see you have the hang of it,” Sidon says, his voice encouraging as he continues to hold his hand out. “Make sure to get by your...ears, I believe they are? You have a small cut above one, and along your face...” 

He doesn't give Link the opportunity at all to fix it himself, instead reaching out to pat the back of a claw to the side of Link's head. Just above his ear is where the cut is, it seems, and Sidon traces the rounded shell of his ear and sends another shiver down his spine. 

“It's so strange seeing these,” Sidon muses, more to himself than to Link. He taps the tip of his claw to Link's eyebrow, tracing another cut there before he's pulling back, looking over his handiwork. “You're built so much more differently than I am. There's other races in our world similar to you, but even so...” 

He hums quietly, a thoughtful noise that renders him silent as he watches Link work at the rest of his skin. Link's blushing again, and it's all he can do to hide his face from those prying eyes, an ethereal glow in the red night that seems to be dimming. 

“The moon seems to be setting, finally,” Sidon muses, turning his face towards the sky. Link does too, wiping his fingers against his pants as he looks the lightless heavens over. The red hue is indeed fading, leaving the sky the same jet black it seemed to be. 

“The danger is only really prominent when the moon is high,” Sidon continues, using the salve to rub onto his own wounds. It's hard to see, but there's a long gash against his fin that's oozing a greenish blood. Link wants to scoot closer, to share their space and get a closer look at it, maybe offer to stitch it, but... 

He pushes the thought away, bringing his knees to himself instead. Everything's calming, if only slightly, leaving exhaustion in its wake. Link hugs his legs tight, resting his cheek against a knee and letting his eyes flutter shut. Sidon's still going on about the moon, how Ganon's influence somehow affects the tides of it. It's all stuff merely lost upon Link anyway, and Sidon can tell. His words are pausing, and Link feels a gentle weight upon his shoulder from what he assumes to be Sidon's hand. 

“You can rest, my friend,” he murmurs, and there's such a sweet, gentle tenderness in his voice that Link's heart hurts. He couldn't remember the last time anyone spoke to him like that, in such a soft way that managed to reassure him that everything was going to be all right. The tone carried a reminiscence of his mother's dying breath, the voice she used in her final days to help set his soul at ease. 

And while it had never settled on anything even, on anything even remotely akin to being okay, it had forgotten and healed in its own way. And maybe that's why Link felt the tears prick at his eyes, the longing for something more that made him scoot a little closer to Sidon's side. 

He just couldn't remember the last time someone had _cared._

And it was pathetic, and Link quickly catches his breath before it can escape him in stuttering strides. He forces his heart back where it should be inside of his chest, beating it down to its normal rhythm. He fights the the quiver in his smile as he offers it unto Sidon, receiving one that could rival the sun in return. 

“I will watch over you.” Sidon emphasizes his words with a gentle stroke to Link's arm, a lingering touch coupled with a softened gaze. “There is nothing to fear aside from the usual now, but even so, I know you must still be feeling uneasy. So I will keep vigil before resting myself. And when you wake, do not be afraid to wake me.” 

He nods, and in the soft light of the fire, Sidon looks much less scary than he could be. Like this, his eyes are almost like a cat's, and his skin reminds Link of the time he was 13, petting the stingrays at the local zoo. It's a soft and caring touch, one that doesn't waver even as Link moves to make his bag a pillow, trying to get comfortable on the hard stones of the structure's floor. 

Sidon's touch lingers upon his back, near his shoulders where his talons trace gentle circles upon his skin. And before long, Link's heavy eyelids drag him back into a dreamless slumber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I meant to make this a longer update ;v; But then it ended so well at the part it did, and I couldn't bring myself to ruin it by continuing on for another 1 or 2 thousand words. So the next update will just have to be longer! 
> 
> But again, thank you all so much for the continued support! I'm glad you're enjoying the story so much. <3 It really does mean so much to me. 
> 
> I hope you liked this update!


	6. We End Where the Journey Begins

The morning's blue, carrying the scent of a Saturday upon its breeze. Link doesn't really know if it's a Saturday or not, but the implication settles in his stomach like a soured yogurt, and he rubs at it with tired eyes as he sits up. 

The cold had seeped into his bones from the stones underneath himself. He wonders how he managed to sleep so soundly upon their cracked, jagged edges, the pointy ends of branches having shoved their way through with malice and lust for life. He supposes the crick in his neck and the violent shudder in his muscles are what had finally awoken him form his exhaustion, though. The shuddering sends a blanket slipping from his shoulders, and he eyes it with some surprise. 

Link grabs it and holds onto the fabric, something resembling chiffon, heavy in his hands like fabricated liquid. It feels like silk, and despite the watery texture it has about itself, it is surprisingly warm. Link pulls it around his shoulders and breathes deep of the morning air, watching his breath frost from his lips and hang heavy there, like a ghost of words unmentioned. 

The whole scene has him feeling a little too melancholic, a little too homesick. He knows if he chases that rabbit he'll just end up making himself feel worse, so he directs his gaze elsewhere, to his immediate surroundings, and focuses on them instead.

The fire from the night before lies dead and cold before him, leaving nothing behind but the ashes of the debris they had burned. Blackened blood stains the stones and walls, arching as high as the caving rafters and reminding Link of his dance with death the night before. He shivers involuntarily, looking quickly back down at himself, to his side. 

Sidon lies sleeping next to him, his chest rising with every soft breath he takes. His lips are parted, and he is curled in on himself to preserve what Link can only assume to be his own body heat. Link feels the occasional twitch, watching curiously as the motions happen in his arms, legs, skin...

In that moment he realizes he must have taken the blanket away from poor Sidon. A shiver seems to crawl up his spine, and Link hurriedly throws the fabric back over his sleeping body as apologetically as he can muster. It didn't even occur to him that Sidon must have been willing to share it with him, and the thought leaves him with a strange feeling. 

It coils up into his chest, around his ribs, around his breastbone and to his throat. Link's had friends, and he still had a few back home. The kind of friends who just so happen to know how to sign, or because they were impaired in some way themselves. They were good people, always willing to bring him along to lunch, to a movie, to some small, fun event they though he might like. 

Typical things you did with acquaintances. But because it was just so _hard_ to communicate, and the fact his lack of speech gave off the ever-so-frustrating notion that he must be vapid or naive, sweet and innocent, conforming to some strange kind of stereotype, it made it impossible to try and build any sort of fulfilling relationship. 

Sidon really was the first individual to come along who just didn't seem to care about any of that. Not a single word has slipped past Link's lips, all confined in a foreign body that has to look alien and strange to the one who lives in this world and calls it home. Yet that very same person would take him in, defend his life with his own, and continue to stay—albeit for reasons of his own—at his side and help protect him. 

It was all so overwhelming to the point it was...well, underwhelming. It left Link exhausted, without a clue on how to proceed forward from this. 

But Sidon's cuddling a little closer to his thigh, and Link can't really bring himself to pull away. Something in him is tempted to wake Sidon up, to see if there's anywhere they need to be, or anywhere they need to go, but Link keeps his hands to himself as he takes another deep breath and lets the morning settle in around them. 

Sidon wakes up some time after the sun has breached the horizon, bright and warm and casting dappled leopard's spots upon the trees and forest's floor. The dew clinging to what life and structures there are has evaporated, leaving Link feeling clammy and worn. The past few days hadn't been terribly warm (but those days were just a dream within a dream, all sensation lost to the memories of his mind) but now it feels like summer's wrath, clutching at them both and squeezing them in humid claws with a vengeance. 

Even Sidon looks rather wane as he sits up, stretching his long arms above his head, showing off the sinewy muscle that ripples along his back like the waves lapping at the lake's shores. Link clears his throat awkwardly once he's been caught staring, his gaze flicking quickly to the side.

“Good morning, my friend,” Sidon offers, a small smile upon his features nonetheless. “I trust you slept well? I apologize we had to spend the night here. I promise there are other places for us to go that have much more comfortable, and suitable, accommodations.” 

Link offers him a shrug, a tired smile plucking the corners of his own lips. He may hurt, and his head feels stuffy, but all in all, he isn't dead. An appreciation he wishes he could deliver vocally, but alas... 

Sidon's packing their things into Link's bag, humming a soft tune as he does so. “We can head north,” he muses, his little tail draped over his shoulder like someone would toss a braid. “There's more of us zora than just in the main city's limits. There's a market as well, that travels from one region to the other. We can perhaps look into their wares if they are present, and purchase you something that catches your eye. I'm sure it'd be a good distraction for you, and it might help you in the long run.” 

Sidon turns to him with another smile, his tone gentle, his eyes soft. “During our walk, there is a tale I'd like to recount that may help with your journey back home as well. Considering my sister had a direct link with it, I'm sure there's more merit to it than just being a simple story.” 

Once again his name has been said, but despite his frantic waving of a hand, the utter frustration building in his chest and bursting forth through his lips in tones to try and catch Sidon's attention...it all comes to no avail. Sidon isn't paying attention, and he decides to drop the subject once again. 

Link finds himself perking in interest anyway, his hands idly passing things to Sidon for him to pack. Not much had been taken out aside from the blanket, and Link glances down at himself in sudden remembrance of last night. Tugging his shirt up he checks on his wounds, finding only the faintest scars to mark their existence. He's still aching from being tugged around, but once again, he finds himself miraculously healed. 

A thought he doesn't try to linger on for too long. There's still a quiet sense of urgency begging to pummel him in the throat. This world, a strange universe just past some thin divide from his own, is still almost too much to wrap his head around. Everything is real and tangible underneath his fingertips, from the cloth of the blanket to the smooth planes of Sidon's talons as he grabs it from his hands; yet everything still feels like a wild dream, the kind where it suddenly starts feeling real, and you wake up the moment something important happens. Like turning a movie off right at the climax, leaving yourself on an endless cliffhanger. 

It scares Link. 

But Sidon's smile is coming into view again, seemingly-muffled words breaching his ears past the low buzz of his thoughts. 

“Are you feeling well enough to head out, my friend?” he's asking, his expression curious. He has a talon gently tapping Link on the cheek, poking his skin enough to make the plush flesh cave inward. Link can't help a small laugh, his eyes falling to the floor as he nods. 

The creature from the night before didn't leave an easy way out of things. It left the only entryway caved in on itself, forcing Sidon to heave whatever debris he could manage to lift out of their way. Link helped where he could, scolded at first by Sidon's worried chides. But once they got things moving, he quickly hushed and simply let Link be as he pushed rocks and stones out of the way.

Not much room was made for them to wiggle through in the end, but they manage. Link does just fine, slipping past the stones with not so much as even his clothes getting caught on something, but Sidon finds himself having a harder time. He's just so _large,_ and Link can't help the small snicker he quickly hides behind his fingers as he watches the zora struggle to slip out of the door. 

Sidon's embarrassed once he finally makes it through. It was like watching a cat on the heavier side try to pop through its own little door, and Link's fighting to keep a straight face as Sidon approaches him with a somewhat bashful expression. 

“My apologies,” he mutters, rubbing at his head as he looks around, anywhere but Link's glimmering eyes. “I thought I had made it bigger than that. Anyway...” 

Link watches as his talons brush along his head, tracing a deep scar that must have been left from the night before. It's darker than Link's own scars, and he finds himself worrying a bit as he looks it over. He can't remember if Sidon used any of that salve for himself, but considering the wound looked healed and properly closed, he could only assume he must have. Still, Link didn't even notice he was bleeding at all, and guilt suddenly gnaws at his stomach and his amusement is banished within seconds. 

Gentle fingers brush against his shoulder, capturing his waning attention. “We will head north, along this path,” Sidon's offering, pointing towards the thicker trees in the distance. “The leaves will block the sun's rays until it's safer for us to be out in the open. The trees will offer cover from the creatures in the mountains, as well. I'm sure you've heard mention of a lynel. While a great and terrifying beast, it keeps mostly to itself in the peaks and never wanders towards the trees. So, we will be safest here, at least until the next blood moon. Thankfully I will know when that happens.” 

His voice is soothing, deep and husky, ringing like a gentle song in Link's ears. He can't help _but_ feel reassured, all of his strings being tugged at like a harp as Sidon's talons play at him deftly. Link still wants to be suspicious of his motives, to question if this is really the safest idea. After all, their first interaction was inked in blood, a stain blossoming out against a white cloth that only seemed to grow all the larger. Sidon still had every capable muscle in his body to turn on Link and eat him alive, to tear into him and leave his entrails as a warning to others, but... 

But something about Sidon convinced Link that he really didn't have it in him to do so. Link sighs and lets his gaze fall to the path as they walk, nails rubbing anxiously at his arm. He feels terrible for having thought such awful nonsense. Sidon's open arms have only been for warm embraces and guaranteed safety, and Link's still acting like a wounded bird, ready to fly away into the maw of something worse at the drop of a hat. Sidon's intentions are almost _pure,_ and there's an unbreakable mention to his promises that Link still has to decipher. It leaves Link with that same strange feeling from before, and he attempts to swallow it like the rock it is. It lingers like a fever, but its festering is something Link is keen on ignoring, pushing the heat licking at his flesh away for the time being. 

Sidon has been talking to him again, his gaze cast over a shoulder as he looks Link over worriedly. “Are you with me, my friend?” he asks, slowing his steps until Link's bumping into him. The motion drags him back to earth, and Link nods his head a little too quickly as he fights to regain his sense of self. Maybe it's because he's just tired, but man, if he isn't up there in orbit, lost amongst the cosmos. 

Sidon takes a moment before he finally responds, wrapping an arm carefully about Link's shoulders as he does so. “If my words bother you in any way, please, let me know,” he murmurs, squeezing Link gently against himself. Link has to fight the shudder that grips the base of his spine, but it's far easier to relax once they start moving again, Sidon's words washing over him with an effect almost like a lullaby. 

“My sister was the keeper of a great power, passed down onto her from her mother,” Sidon begins, offering a hum to his words that finds itself in Link's skin. “The Queens of our line pledge great reverence to one known as Vah Ruta. She has been our guardian since the beginning of time, her tale told as a fable to our young ones. Some stories are more exaggerated than others, of course." 

A soft chuckle follows his words, though his expression grows more thoughtful as his grip turns more firm around Link's shoulders. “Only my sister was ever allowed to know the full details, anyway. I've always suspected she had the power to communicate with this great spirit, to give her the offerings she needed. The ability to pray to her when she required use of her power. She would make her own independent pilgrimages to the north, on nights when the moon was missing and the sky was just full of stars. She's mentioned in particular to me the one mountain she used to visit, but other than that...” 

He sighs, a long and heavy notion that leaves Link feeling empty, too. 

“But, as for the fable...we refer to Vah Ruta as our Divine Beast. A protector, who speaks to us through the powers of our Queens. They could heal not only us, but the land around them as well; quell the hurts of the ground beneath us, purify tainted water, cleanse the air of the taint of pollution. But once the one known as Ganon started its reign of terror, my sister's powers grew weaker. Naturally, we came to the conclusion that Ganon's powers weakened the Beast's own. My sister did all she could to maintain contact with Vah Ruta, but this began to take its toll upon her. That's when a human, much like yourself, showed up. About ten cycles of the seasons ago...” 

Link's holding his breath, releasing it rather loudly as they start their trek up a hill. Through the trees Link can see the expanse of lakes and cascades, where the land has dropped suddenly to reveal the image of the land to them. The view is beautiful, sparkling underneath the sun and offering a shade of blue from the water he's pretty sure he's never quite seen before. 

But Sidon seems dejected, so Link offers him a palm to the small of his back, his eyes sympathetic, imploring, as they fight to make contact with Sidon's. They do, and Sidon laughs as he waves a hand. 

“She thought she must prove herself worthy of the Beast's powers to attain them once more. She thought if she helped the human find its way back home, then she would receive her blessing once again. In a way, she was right; she brought the human along to the Beast, much like I'm doing for you now. And while I never heard what happened, I can only assume it worked. She and that human continued to travel together, after all. "You see, there is more than just one Divine Beast in this world. There are four, and according to her legend, if they all offer a blessing, then their powers can open the rift on this side of the worlds and offer a way back through. But, most tragically...” 

The silence settles between them like a blanket of snow, and their footsteps halt upon the path. Sidon looks out across the lakes underneath them, his gaze tracing the grand waterfalls that tower into the sky like crystalline spires. 

“Once all of the blessings were gathered,” he continues, “they found themselves at a special area, led there by the Beast's instructions. The rift had been opened, and Mipha was ushering the human through, to get him back home. But Ganon had sensed the powers of the Beasts, knew where the rift was, and attempted to stop the ceremony; for Ganon had been tracking the scent of the human, angry that it wasn't being offered as a sacrifice for it. It lives off the souls of beings from other worlds, and something about that particular human sent it into a frenzy. It hunted the human relentlessly, and when it finally found it, it attempted to take the human as its own, to devour it whole. But my sister, Mipha...she threw herself between it and the human, pushing it through the divide and back to the safety of its own home. “We didn't know until some time later,” Sidon concludes, his voice quiet. Though obviously some years had passed since the incident, it appeared to hurt Sidon almost physically to talk about it. Link offers him his other hand, grateful when Sidon takes it and holds it gently, his other working at the soft flesh of Sidon's back. It's strange; Sidon feels so different, though he holds knots underneath his skin just like a human would. Link works at them carefully, allowing Sidon as much time as he needs before he speaks up once more. 

“I did not mean to delve into such personal matters,” he manages to laugh, squeezing Link's tiny hand between two fingers. “The point of the story was that the Beast should be able to help you. And if we're careful underneath Ganon's gaze, keep your scent hidden and your features somewhat unnoticeable, then I am positive that getting you back home will be possible. It will require a bit of traveling, and take longer than I'm sure you have the patience for, but...it will be worth it. Are you okay with this...?” 

And while Link didn't have any other choice than to be okay with it, he nods with as much vigor as he can manage in the hopes he helps his companion feel somewhat better. Sidon's expression does light up the slightest bit, and he wraps both hands around Link's and shakes it rather enthusiastically. 

“That is wonderful! I'm sure if we keep up with it, and gain the Beast's blessing, then you will be welcome back home as well. Though I'm sure if I go back, I will be almost forced to stay, but...we will see, once we get to that point. For now, let us make haste to our next destination. It is a small village that lives in the mountains, enshrouded in mists almost perpetually. The heat will ease up there, and I'm sure you will like it.” 

But the one thing Sidon fails to mention is just how _long_ the walk is. Link doesn't have any way of telling the time, but the sun growing dimmer as it dips behind the horizon is a telling sign that they've been out for the entire day. He glances to the sky with a sigh, a limp in his step and several strides behind Sidon. He slows down when he can, but even with shorter-looking legs, he still manages to go much more quickly than Link can ever hope to keep up with. It does keep them going at a steady pace, but after tripping over a branch and rock one too many times, Link's pretty worn down and hurting for a break. 

Sidon's stopping short where the trees grow thin, though, catching Link as he bumbles into him. “Not the village we are looking for,” he starts, gesturing out toward a wide clearing, “but something just as well, for resting and catching our breath. A halfway point, we like to call them. Others tend to just call them stables.” 

Link peers out over Sidon's shoulder, his eyes catching the warm glow of candlelight and fires upon the long grass. The breeze dances over the meadow and makes it look like a sea set ablaze, and distant music and voices can be heard in the evening air. Everything has chilled considerably, and the warmth from the fires looks inviting. Link starts toward them with Sidon at his side, a renewed bounce in his step as they walk. 

Something more mingles with the sounds already present in the air; it's the familiar whinny that jerks Link straight into the meadow near his own house, the same sunset present in the sky, Epona's familiar presence at his side. 

The sudden image is enough to slow him down, to send his heart to his soles where he crushes it beneath his boot. He's forgotten all about Epona, and seeing manes blow in the wind, tails swishing from side to side, hearing the beat of hooves upon the ground...

It suddenly has him feeling utterly, hopelessly homesick. 

Guilt punches him in the chest once more, his breath stuttering. He left Epona behind, and the most he can do is just hope she's okay.

Sidon slows his pace, glancing over his shoulder. “My friend?” he's asking, reaching out to Link, palm upturned. Link takes it, shaking his head and swallowing hard. He can only reassure himself with the fact that she must be okay, that she was a smart horse, and while it was probably awfully silly to feel such a way over a simple creature... 

The fact of that matter was no, she was not a simple creature. His mother had raised her as a runt of a filly, making sure she grew to the impressive size she was that day. A champion in her heyday, bestowed upon Link when his mother had passed. A quiet companion that made sure he wasn't too lonely, and certainly one that deserved better than to just be left behind. 

Link gazes upon the other creatures with contempt, though the feeling is more for himself than the animals. It's a feeling quickly stemmed at the source as he realizes that the creatures aren't _horses,_ per se, but something with a very strong and similar resemblance. Sidon guides him toward them, telling Link to wait as he wanders elsewhere. Link barely notices as he finds himself eye to eye with a beautiful black creature. 

As large as a stallion, its mane billows outward like underwater flora. It holds a rather green hue to its locks, and Link finds himself tempted to reach out and pet its snout. 

And he does, completely unaware on if it's a good idea or not. But the horse only regards him silently, leaning its nose into the palm of his hand. Its fur feels almost wet, and Link looks into its deep, red eyes as he strokes the elegant expanse of its face gently. It make a soft noise, stamping a hoof against the ground, stepping a little closer to his touch. 

Link can't help but smile sadly. It's comforting, to be able to pet something so familiar. The longer he regards the horse, though, the more details come to his eye. Its own eyes have a ring of smaller, pupil-less eyes around them, all blinking on their own accord. The mane seems to clump and stick in some places, matted together by some strange, viscous fluid. Its hooves are sharp and pointy, and it has teeth that resemble fangs that hang long and low from underneath its upper lip. 

It's honestly terrifying, but it's a sweet creature. Link notices stares of other beings watching him, all with pointed ears and a few good inches on him in terms of height. Some are pale, their accents lilted as they talk amongst each other, and some are darker, soaking up what little bit of the sunlight they can as it fades from the sky. 

The sky itself is glimmering with stars, and Link turns his gaze to them instead, petting the horse slowly and gently with both hands. One still keeps to its nose, the other stroking a muscular neck. It continues to puff, the occasional noise of something akin to an animal being drowned coming from its mouth. 

They practically snuggle until Sidon returns, something like alarm flashing in his eyes. “My friend,” he laughs nervously, keeping his distance as he approaches them, “I see you've found yourself a kelpie.” 

The word is enough to shock Link into staring at Sidon, surprised that they apparently shared a similar word, a similar legend. Link's a little more surprised he hadn't thought of that himself, and it spurs him into offering the horse one more gentle pat to the nose before stepping away. 

It whinnies softly, but it just moves back to grazing on something as deep and dark green as its mane in a trough. 

“I should have warned you,” Sidon murmurs, roping Link in close to his side as he ushers them both into a tented sort of structure. It's a mix between a tent and a wooden cabin, anyway, but it's warm on the inside, and full of the scents of something cooking in the back. 

“Kelpies aren't necessarily hostile, but they have been known to...drag others away, into the depths of the nearby lakes. It doesn't happen often, but enough so that it makes many of us wary of their presence. Some can be tamed, but only usually by one individual alone. I must admit, I'm impressed that one seemed to like you as much as it did.” 

The words are enough to stroke Link's ego, filling him with a sense of inflated pride. He's always been good around animals, and he's just glad that's apparently still a thing with killer horses. He even finds himself wanting to go back to it, but Sidon's guiding them towards a far-off room, a silver key held in his elegant talons. 

He uses it, shoving it in the lock and turning it rather mercilessly. It nearly breaks, and Link's quick to grab it and push the door open himself. Sidon laughs, somewhat quietly, as he allows Link to keep the key. 

Inside they're met with two beds, both rather large in comparison to the ones that encircle the general gathering area outside the door. Link's glad Sidon opted for something more private. He gently shuts the door and locks it behind them, sighing heavily as he does. Sidon looks to him, and Link catches his gaze, but nothing's exchanged as they move to sit down. 

“We will find the market tomorrow, I think,” Sidon muses after a bit, looking rather out of place on a bed that looks far too small for him, situated in a room that's far too low for him. It has Link feeling bad, wanting to offer comfort, but he doesn't quite know how to do that without getting intimately personal. He's sure Sidon wouldn't like that, anyway. 

He doesn't seem terribly bothered as he lets his gaze wander the expanse of the room at least, and Link follows suit, noting the tiny details in strange paintings hung above the bed. They're landscape paintings, depicting images of mountains and plains that are different, but fill him with a sense of nostalgia nonetheless. Like he's been there before himself, in a dream, or...a daydream. Or something like that. 

He finds himself staring at the one above his bed in particular, the right side framed by an old, worn and withered tree. In the distance a structure similar to a castle can be seen, though hills roll on endlessly before they bother to touch the dark structure. The painting's set in the day time, bright and sunny and blue and green. 

“Would you like a fire to be lit?” Sidon asks, gesturing to a small fireplace set into the wall. It's rather old and dusty looking, but Link nods, sliding to his feet. Sidon looks grateful as Link takes the flint from their bag, his fingers brushing over the length of a dagger. 

It's sheathed in something like leather, silver as the moon and dusted over with blue stars set into the material. The blade itself is a glimmering gold, rubies and emeralds decorating the hilt like planets. Link looks it over with wonder in his eyes, and Sidon offers him a smile as he nods encouragingly. 

“You may use it. It's just a family heirloom, of sorts. It was gifted to me on my one-hundred-and-seventh nameday.” 

He smiles proudly, but Link's taken aback. Was that meant to be a birthday? Did Sidon literally just say he was 107 years old? 

Link blinks, desperately wanting to ask if that was true, but Sidon's turned away and leaving him to his own devices. Link bites his useless tongue and sighs, crouching low by the fireplace instead. There's wood in there at least, and Link busies himself with the sparks that fly freely from the stone and blade. 

He returns it once there's something going, a small flame that flourishes before settling into something smaller, contained. It warms the room and keeps it aglow in warm yellow light, and Link flops back onto his designated bed with a sigh. 

“I'll make us something to eat,” Sidon murmurs, tapping his talon against Link's nose. An oddly adorable gesture, and one that Link finds himself wanting more of. But Sidon's turning away, a smile over his shoulder as he gestures towards the door. “But first, I have some business I must take care of. You may rest, or even look around the premises. Just promise you'll return here?” 

And Link nods, even going so far as to offer Sidon a thumbs-up. He looks confused, but he nods appreciatively before heading out himself. Link notes that he has to duck to get past the door. He's charmed, a warm smile spreading across his own lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, I hope this update is okay! I ended up falling a wee bit ill during the prime times when I write, and it stunted my creativity a bit. I wanted to give you guys a nice dose of an update though, so I hope it's palatable! ;v; 
> 
> But man, 200+ hours, over 20k deep in this fic, and I finally finished BoTW. What a wild (HAH. HAHA) ride, and what a wonderful game, man. 
> 
> But as always, thank you guys so much for the continued support! All of your comments and sweet gestures really do make my days so bright, haha! <3


	7. Misgivings, Wandering Tales

Link doesn't find himself exploring so much as sleeping. There's a heaviness to the air that seems to drag his eyelids down, a weight to his muscles that's just impossible to shake off. He used to be medicated for this kind of thing, back in the days of normalcy, but now it's gone and it's taking its toll, leaving him underneath the sheets until the sun has reached a peak that they can't watch any longer. 

“My friend,” Sidon is murmuring, in a tone soft and low, a husk that barely breaches Link's own ears. There's a gentle nudge to his shoulder, an insistent action that barely grows in intensity as Sidon attempts to chase his companion out of bed. 

Link wants to be grumpy and ask for another five minutes. 

Sidon's telling him they have to leave, though. 

Link drags his heavy soul from the mattress, brushing fingers through matted bangs, digging palms into drowsy eyes that aren't quite ready for the sun's light. But everything is packed and Sidon's urging him gently to the door, cooing quietly in encouragement until Link's upright and his boots are on his feet. He feels grimy and gross, and there's a terrible need for a bath, but Sidon's out the doorway and into the main section of the stables, waiting patiently for his companion, as he had been all morning.

“She is not ours to keep,” he's saying, leading Link along with a hand upon his tiny shoulder, “but I've gotten you a present, to help you keep up with me on our travels through the mountains. I've been told her name is Eponine.” 

The name's enough to pick Link up by the collar and throw him to the ground. Sidon's guided him to a horse, already saddled and packed with their belongings, waiting patiently out in the meadow for them. A quick glance shows Link they're by a road, one that curves off downward through the trees to the south, the other continuing upwards upon the mountain's slopes, eventually winding off behind granite slates. The mountain itself grows into the clouds, scraping the sky and filling Link's head with a sudden dizziness that intensifies when he looks back to the horse. 

She's a beautiful black beast, at the very least. Standing around fifteen hands, she tosses her head in Link's direction and snorts, showing off pupil-less eyes of glimmering gold underneath a white mane. 

Sidon smiles as he watches Link, moving closer to the horse to fix her saddle. “I am too tall for her,” he muses, stroking a flank covered in white spots. A normal coat pattern, but not so normal in the way the spots seem to undulate, like oil against water, slipping over each other to form constellations across her body. 

“But she is all for you, nonetheless. The mountain will be rough, and she's specially trained for their paths. I've made the journey plenty of times myself to know what to expect, but you have not. I figured this was the least I could do for you.” Sidon pats her rear gently before stepping away, waving to her with a flourish. 

Link steps forward, finding himself in guilted awe as he reaches out to stroke her neck. It's a strong thing, and she leans against him with a soft noise of appreciation, the smallest of whinnies echoing in her throat. The weak sun filtering through grey clouds catches on something in her mane, glinting off the surface of glimmering black scales that mingle with her fur. 

They're iridescent, shimmering in muted colors with a holographic sheen to their surface. They trace the curve of her spine, flowing like a river towards her tail where they seem to ebb. Her hooves match the colors of the hardened skin. She tosses her head excitedly the longer Link stares at her. 

He can't help but smile as he climbs onto her with ease. She stamps a foot and flicks her tail, eager to guide them along their trail. Link hears Sidon clapping at his side, all smiles and brimming with sunshine as he approaches Link and the horse. 

“Marvelous!” he says, stroking the horse's neck, cooing to her softly. “No doubt we'll be at the village before nightfall with her help. I'll lead us along our way.” 

Link nods, and Sidon's grabbing the reins as he starts for the mountains. 

The skies grew darker as they went along, revealing not much else aside from a steady drizzle of rain. Sidon offers the blanket to Link, who's pleased to learn it's waterproof. He tries to offer it to Sidon as well, but he's smiling as he refuses the offer, his red skin beaded with moisture, his expression grown content. 

It leaves Link wondering if water is necessary for someone like Sidon. He seems fine on land, but Link can't help but wonder if it'll be an issue later on down the road. It doesn't rain everywhere in his world, and he's sure it has to be the same for this one...

But that's a bridge he knows they'll cross when they get there. For the moment he lets his gaze wander as they move up the paths, tracing the lines of mountain peaks and sediments trapped in stone that lace patterns against its surface. Every so often Link catches sight of something glowing, high in the peaks, set against the path. It's the same glow as the structures from the zora domain, and Link connects the dots. 

The mountains must have been some sort of resource for them. For mining, anyway; it's void of any creatures, eerily quiet, save for the sound of raindrops hitting them, their belongings, and the rocks. It's peaceful in a way, but Link's glad he has Sidon there with him, guiding him diligently through labyrinthine pathways. 

The day seems to stretch longer than the last few. Maybe the clouds have drawn it out, the endless patter of rainfall lulling Link into a senseless daze. He's bored out of his mind, and a few hours later he finds himself growing sore. The saddle he's been sitting in is cushioned, feeling unlike anything he's ever really gotten to sit upon, but even it's wearing against his thighs, his joints creaking from lack of movement. 

Eponine is the ever-vigilant beast, keeping on with steady strides that keep up with Sidon's. 

“You may eat whenever you please,” Sidon's saying after some time, dragging Link back to reality with only a slightly-winded voice. “There are some provisions in the bag I made sure to pick up. The merchant told me it was all fresh, and that you should like the taste.” 

Curious, Link turns at the waist, patting down saddlebags and rummaging through them. Sure enough he finds their own bag, and he digs through it with purpose, with the intent to occupy himself on this grey and dismal journey. 

He finds a bundle wrapped in a material that feels like cheesecloth, and he wrangles it from the depths of the bags. Upon bringing it back to himself, a corner has fallen away to reveal something similar to jerky, to cheese itself, and some kind of strange, dried fruit all mixed together. The subtle scent of spices has Link's stomach growling, and with only a soft flush to his cheeks he digs into the meal. 

The meat tastes familiar, more like pork than beef, but palatable. It's dry and rather seasonless, but there's a rub that accentuates its texture and leaves a residue upon his fingers that reminds him of barbecue. The cheese itself is smooth, though there's a kick to its flavor that leaves Link hurting, eyes watering as he occupies himself with the waterskin soon after his first bite. It's rather good, if a bit volatile. 

The fruits are nutty almost, the size of raisins in his palm, and leave an aftertaste like a mango. Link carefully eats away at them as they continue to walk, allowing his eyes to wander their surroundings some more. 

He's quick to notice carvings set into the sides of the mountain this time around. Subtle at first, lacking depth, they're nothing more than elaborate cracks in the stone; but over time as they walk, he comes to notice now that the glowing stones from earlier seem to be indented into their carvings, allowing them to stand out in intricate circles and lines, depicting figures shaped like little zora and a huge beast that reminds him of the Loch Ness monster. 

He gazes upon them in awe, reaching out to tap Sidon's shoulder to get his attention. Sidon answers with a soft _hm,_ peering in the direction Link's pointing. 

“Ah!” he exclaims, clapping his hands together, the selfsame jerky Link had been eating tucked away in his own grip. 

“Those have been there since ancient times. It's said that our Divine Beast had a more corporeal form about it, that it was alive and full of vitality just as much as we were. She was blessed from the skies to live eternal, to become what she has become today. I haven't seen any form of the Beast, but part of me likes to believe the tales are true.” 

He pops his jerky into his mouth, into that wonderfully-frightening maw that Link finds himself adoring. 

“If you have any questions, you are more than welcome to try and ask me.” 

Link's much more content with just watching as the carvings pass them by, though. He hasn't a single clue on how to interpret them, but he notices signs of struggle, of fortune, of happy memories and devastating tragedies. The little zora, despite there being seemingly thousands of them, are all unique in size and shape. The glow of the stones grows stronger the deeper into the mountains they walk, and soon the soft, velveteen vegetation of moss and other plant life starts to mingle with the pictures.

Vines creep down from trees near the peaks, their branches a deep, lush green that thrives in the foggy rain. The rain turned into something thicker, a white smoke-like mist that clings to whitened stone and whatever happened to be passing through. Birdsong has returned to the air, though it's far off, and they all seem to be repeating one note to each other, their sounds echoing off of the stone faces. 

The trees eventually devour the sky, casting a shade upon a darkened tunnel that Sidon leads them through. Roots overtake stone and turn it to soil, strong and thick and alive with countless years upon their rising trunks. The trees themselves are thicker than any tree Link's ever seen, rivaling and beating the great redwood forests in a pitiful shame. 

Heavy vines continue to guide their way, smacking Link occasionally on the side of the head. 

Sidon's kind to catch what he can, showing Link small, tiny bugs that glimmer like jewels whenever there happens to be one attached to the flora. 

“These zora are a very strict kind, if that makes sense,” Sidon's telling him, a hand resting upon Link's thigh as they walk deeper into the trees. “Their customs are much different than ours back home. They pledge their lives to protecting the Beast and its secrets. Therefore none but the elder Shaman are allowed to speak. So, in a way, I think you might like them quite a bit. They'll be much like you in that regard.”

His smile is gentle, and Link's heart swells. He can't help but feel the flutter of butterfly's wings in his chest, but Sidon's encouragement is enough to keep his nervousness to a minimum. 

“There are very few here. It's a hard life in the mountains, and the streams are sparse, the wildlife even more so. But they are almost completely hidden from the outside world, and the benefits of this protection outweigh the worst that could happen. Every so often one of ours will try to come to live with this particular tribe, so I wonder if I'll see anyone I used to know...” Sidon hums thoughtfully, tapping a couple of talons against Link's skin. 

He falls silent after that, helping instead to encourage Eponine farther down the trail. With what little daylight they had fading fast, the beast grew more skittish the more they tried to walk. Link's petting her almost constantly now, offering what small noises he can to her perked ears to help her relax. The only light that guides them through the growing darkness is the bright blue glow of stones peeking through leaves and roots, but even those are few and far between with how dense the forest has grown.

The mist lingers, once full of sparkling daylight, only to swell with bad ideas and lingering nightmares that flit through the trees. 

“Remember what I said before,” Sidon's murmuring, keeping close to Link's side. “If you don't bother them, they won't bother us. They're just watching.” 

And while Link would have thought the shapes and movements were just tricks on the eyes, it's a terrifying comfort to know something's actually _there._ His spine stiffens, and suddenly he's just as nervous as Eponine. 

Another light breaches the mist, a distant glow of blue that refracts through the mist like a prism's shards. It reminds Link of water reflected upon cave walls, rippling in the air, suspended in water particles and shimmering like crystals. 

Sidon urges them to hurry along, picking up the pace that Eponine seems to glad to follow. 

There's an archway carved from stone, intricate pillars bordering the entrance to a village inlaid in a mountainous basin. The peaks form a border around the sky, pitch black against the stars that, while usually missing from the sky, twinkle and dance like engorged gems. Link can feel himself go slack-jawed as he gazes up at them, their light washing over the serene picture of another zora's domain. 

The blue glow is something that lingers around the village. It swirls as it casts its shades upon the rock walls, swirling about like waves within water, giving off the impression they've been submerged underneath a lake. The moisture in the air is almost enough to convince Link that they have been, but the fact he's still breathing pounds into his temple a confusion as he tries to look around for what could be causing the phenomenon. 

There are two guards standing watch over a path that leads into the village, and they're waxing into his line of view before he can observe his surroundings much longer. The harsh, red glare of their narrow eyes is enough to beat him into shy submission, though he can't help but keep letting his gaze fall back to them, noting stark white skin covered in black stripes like a tiger's. 

They're _tall,_ taller than Sidon with a vibrant streak of red covering their head tails and running along their backs. The red rises into a crest at the front of their flattened faces, reminding Link of a bird, almost. They're more lithe, thinner than Sidon's more muscular build, and in sharp, blackened hands, they hold spears that glimmer a golden color at their tips. The zora are covered in jewelry with large feathers hanging from the fins at their heads, the trinkets themselves shining like metal underneath the starlight, like fallen fragments themselves. 

They stare Link and Sidon down, a silent challenge that Sidon rises to meet. 

“I am Prince Sidon,” he offers, and there's a glimmer of recognition from the other two. 

“I'd like to speak with O'rha.” 

There's a moment that passes between the four of them, pregnant with impending stress. Link feels stressed, at the very least; Sidon looks fine. As the two before them exchange a glance, Link notices that they look almost exactly alike. Do the zora have the possibility of birthing twins? 

It's a thought that ingrains itself into his brain as the other two nod, gesturing for them to follow. Link moves to get Eponine moving, but the guard on his left is shaking his head, holding his hand out for Link to stop. 

He does. 

“She will have to stay here,” Sidon guesses, his answer a simple nod from the guard. Link's uneasy, considering poor Eponine had been so petrified. She's still nervous, her tail swishing erratically, her muscles stiffened. 

“She will be all right. She's reassured me to let you know this much,” Sidon coos, his voice gentle as he strokes Eponine's snout. She leans into the gesture, but Link's not paying attention as he stares at Sidon, his legs complaining loudly as he slips from her saddle. 

_What?_ he desperately wants to ask. 

Sidon's patting Eponine on the neck before walking off, and once again, Link finds himself in frustrated silence. The guard that lingers with him offers him a sympathetic look, gesturing politely for Link to follow. At least misery loves company. 

Eponine's left at the mouth of a path that spirals into the basin. Huts made of marble are carved into the mountain's walls, glimmering from the inside with that same blue light that seems to linger and cling to their skin. Floating, translucent orbs of gossamer white linger in the air, barely visible, hovering like a ghost in old photographs, like little fireflies in the summer's eve. They mingle with the stars and fill him with a strange sense of apprehension, and there's a hum to the air that makes the hair on the back of his neck rise. 

Lantern posts filled with blue flames guide their way to the bottom of the basin, where a larger structure awaits them. Link wants to deviate from the main path and explore the others that branch away from them, leading into grottos of ivory trees, blackened bushes, fruits that are the size of his head and shaped like stars. 

There's familiar music akin to trickling water in the distance, and Link can see fountains twining into the air, sparkling golden and silver and casting their warm glow upon the blue stones set in mosaic patterns around their base. 

Sidon's right; aside from the two guards, Link's barely seen another Zora. The one he has seen is glowing, bioluminescent and flared out like a lionfish, a coy smile upon its features as it watches Link from the doorway of a hut. It's colored green and blue, admittedly catching Link's eyes as he watches its fins ripple at its sides. 

They make eye contact, and the zora winks. 

Link clears his throat with a blush, quickly turning to look at his front.

The building the guards drop them off at is similar to the palace in Sidon's domain. Smaller compared to it, it rests nestled against the stones with a domed roof, water falling from somewhere unknown on either side and pooling into a magnificent lake at its front. Link looks down as they cross a delicate stone bridge, peering into water as clear as glass all the way towards the bottom, where fish like small dragons dart to and fro in the gentle currents. They hide behind stalagmites, hidden, scintillating. 

Sidon seems to be entranced, too, but their rapture is cut short as their escorts usher them inside. They linger at the door, and their white skin is all Link can see in the darkened room as his eyes adjust. 

A moment passes, and Link's breath is simultaneously captured and smothered into his lungs out of fear. 

A pool lies in the middle of the room, as clear as the waters outside, as blue as the atmosphere of the night. It dapples the ceiling in the same ripples of light reflected at the bottom of a swimming pool, and Link's nose catches the scent of something like lilies suspended in the air. 

Link's gaze is upon the large zora in the pool, and he feels himself almost turn tail and run away. This one's the same size as Sidon, but its head is shaped in a way his terrified mind is tripping over itself to process. 

To the sides are what seem to be elongated fangs. From the center of its face, underneath at least sixteen beady, black eyes, come four tendrils that dip into the water, floating at the surface, unmoving. There's a mouth from which the tendrils slip free, forming something Link guesses is a smile. More teeth can be seen, the kind that splay out against the fangs and form a ridge like a saw blade. 

His hands feel clammy, and he steps behind Sidon, focusing his gaze instead on the bronze skin of the Zora, the way it seems to shimmer in rainbow colors in the dim lights. 

“Prince Sidon,” _she_ coos, the rattling bones hung around her neck chiming a strange song into the air. She, too, is covered in feathers and scales, skulls of animals unknown adorning necklaces and earrings that seem to hang from the sides of her head. Link still finds himself having a hard time looking her in the...eyes, but luckily Sidon is tucking him away behind himself, stepping forward to offer himself up to the conversation instead. 

“O'rha,” he replies, his tone pleasant and polite. “It's been some time.” 

“Not since your sister's been here, yes.” 

She sounds old, her voice oddly broken, like a storm at sea. Her strange mouth-tendrils wiggle with every word she says, and the appendages at the side of her head close in on themselves like pincers. How she manages to see is beyond Link, but it's honestly the last thing he wants to think about. He clings to Sidon's arm instead, content with listening and staring at a floor like polished obsidian. 

“A human has brought you our way,” O'rha muses, a soft clicking noise following each word. Link can't help but shiver, and Sidon wraps an arm about his shoulders, rubbing his back in a gentle attempt to soothe him. 

“Yes,” he responds, somewhat guilty as he ducks his head. “He seeks passage to the Beast. I know it's only permitted on nights of No Moon, but fortune was upon us, and we made our way here as quickly as possible. I know a few nights will be required before the sky is completely void of it, but...” 

O'rha's quiet, looking them over carefully. She doesn't say anything for a good long while, before Link can hear her sigh, the sounds of water splashing as she leans back against the side of the pool. 

“You seek help to return him home?” she asks, and Link suddenly notes she has no arms. 

“Yes,” Sidon responds, urging Link to stand a little more at his side, a little more in view. Link wants to run away. But Link's forced to concede. 

“The Beast's power has weakened. It's all Ruta can do to keep this area safe, hidden, from Ganon's Blight.” O'rha's words are strict, matter-of-fact. Link can feel Sidon wilt underneath them. 

“I understand-” he begins, only to be cut off abruptly. 

“Only one individual is permitted per No Moon. You'd rather let a human go, just in hope of getting it home, in place of something more important? Do you truly believe returning the human will even be possible in this age of darkness?” 

“I do,” Sidon answers quickly, though there's a faint tinge to his face that Link notices. Was he blushing? Zoras could blush? 

“You do remember what happened last time,” O'rha muses, her soft clicking reminding Link of a clock back home. I cannot stop you, but if the blessing required were to use the last of the Beast's power, it would surely be damnation for us all.” 

There's a guilt that settles in Link's stomach, one reflected on Sidon's features. 

“I understand,” he mutters, working his talons against the flesh of Link's arm. It almost hurts, but he doesn't pull away. The least he can do is offer what support he can while Sidon handles the more politcal side of things. “But I must try. If he can harness the power of the Beasts, there is also a chance they might choose him as a Champion, to eradicate Ganon...” 

He trails off, and O'rha gazes at him with some thought. 

“Have you even told the thing of your plans?” she asks, the question hitting Sidon like a spear. Link can feel the involuntary flinch, and Sidon turns his gaze to the floor. 

“I have not,” he says after a moment, avoiding Link altogether as he speaks. “But he does somewhat understand the risks of the process required in going back home. I was going to talk with him about it after we paid our respects to Ruta...” 

“Then I would speak with him tonight, while you still have time before the No Moon. Return to me then, and we can discuss matters on allowing the human to see the Beast. That stench will need to be fixed as well.” O'rha's voice holds no emotion, nor the clicking noises that are louder, more noticeable to the ears. 

“You are lucky more pressing matters aren't at hand. That there hasn't been the need for a ritual requiring one of zora descent to pay tribute to the Beast.”

Sidon nods, averting his gaze to the side. “Thank you, O'rha,” he mutters, his grip tightening upon Link's shoulder. “We will make sure our decision is not unfounded. His smell can wear off eventually...” 

“There is a hot spring to the east. Take him there once the sun is risen, and let him soak until it touches the horizon. Then we will share with him a meal that should help, and hopefully put the Beast at ease. Until then...” O'rha makes a louder, firmer noise similar to a snap. The two guards at the door walk forward, gesturing for Sidon and Link to follow. 

Sidon offers O'rha a bow and muttered _thank you,_ and Link follows suit with the gesture. 

The guards walk them along the pathways once more, down a trail leading towards the back of the basin. There's longer buildings there, with multiple archways that grant entry into separate rooms. Trees with pale silver leaves reach into the starry skies, encircling a courtyard graced at the center with another fountain. Curtains made of sheer fabric of all colors cover most of the entryways, and Link can hear the subtle notes of music coming from some of the rooms. The music sounds like the plucked strings of harps, gentle chimes of something metallic whenever a breeze blows through the basin. The same black bushes from earlier encircle the area, and heavy white blossoms can be seen dotted in between their leaves. The floating white orbs are found in abundance here, drifting lazily from one tree and bush to the other, like bumblebees. It smells like a fresh spring night, a breeze wafting through the old, stale air of winter and cleansing Link from the inside out. 

The guards guide them to the first room, offering them a bow before moving on their way and leaving Link and Sidon alone. 

Sidon plucks a sheer curtain from the entry way and lets it fall over the entrance, sighing quietly to himself as he turns to face the door. Their eyes fall on their belongings already in the room, resting upon a desk similar to the one back in the palace Link had retrieved them from. Two deep pools of water lie at the room's far wall, and Link scrunches his nose at the thought of having to sleep in something like that again. 

“I am terribly sorry, friend,” Sidon exhales after a moment, sitting upon a chair that reminds Link of deer's antlers. “No doubt you caught on to what she said, what I said. There's a deeper meaning to all of this, and trying to hide it from you is wrong. I realize that now.” 

He's holding his hands out for Link, and it takes him a moment to realize that Sidon wants him to take them. Link moves forward slowly, letting those big talons wrap around his hands and caress them tenderly. 

“It is said if someone is worthy of all four blessings, then they can use them to eradicate a great evil. No one has really known what that great evil has entailed, but with Ganon on the rise, and with no end in sight, I do believe it's worth a try. Most everyone has unanimously agreed that we should wait it out, but that could be another thousand cycles. And after what it's done to my sister, to so many others...I cannot simply sit back and abide by such foolish thinking. And if it has to be me, or you, I'm willing to try. You of course owe us nothing, and it'd be a great risk, but...” 

Sidon's words trail off, his soft, yellow eyes growing somber. There's a weight behind them, untouched, unmoved, ingrained into his very being. There's a glimmer like soft candlelight about ready to be blown out, and Link finds himself stroking the side of Sidon's face despite himself. 

Sidon leans into his fingers, his gaze falling to the floor. “It is much to ask of you, my friend. And you are in no way entitled to help us. The blessing will be used to get you home, first and foremost. I will only explain more of the situation if I know you are willing and ready. Is that okay with you...?” 

He manages to meet Link's eyes once more, and Link's carrying a smile as he gives a subtle nod. 

Sidon's mouth moves, but there are no words to grace Link's ears. Sidon seems to be in pain, his grip sliding back to clutch Link by the waist, to pull him closer. It's a gesture Link leans into, his own arms wrapping gently around Sidon's head, fingertips rubbing the skin of his tail gently. 

They stand together like that until the sun's nearly breached the horizon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "This was just gonna be a cute one-shot, originally," I said.  
> "The fae would just be a neat twist on it all," I said.  
> I really did not intend to get balls deep in my own made up lore, omg
> 
> For anyone wondering though, O'rha is based off of a bobbit worm. Not quite a fish, but the beta suggested it and well, now we have a good monster girl to all love. (Or not, it's understandable) 
> 
> Hope y'all enjoyed the update though! You guys are wonderful to me ;v; <3


	8. Wandering, Wandering, Found

Link sleeps somewhat decently. He tries the pool again, after his last experience with the first pool having gone so well. This time around it really doesn't seem to have quite the same effect on him though, leaving him there to tread water and work himself harder than if he'd just relax. So he stays up nearly the whole night anyway, and by the time Sidon's stirring and waking himself up from his own quick solitude, Link's already awake and drying himself out in the sun that's filtering into their room. 

“I hope you slept well, my friend?” Sidon asks, though the look upon his face is a guess in the other direction. Link offers him a sheepish smile, receiving a pat upon the shoulder as Sidon moves to stand in the light with him. “We should only have to be here one more night,” he continues, attempting a reassuring quirk of the lips. 

They're both exhausted as they move about their business, Link finding somewhere to relieve himself and Sidon wandering off on his own. 

_There should be a path to the hot springs near here,_ he had said, before leaving Link, frustratingly, where they had been staying. _I just need to go over some details with O'rha._

And so he bade Link permission to wander off on his own, which, in hindsight, wasn't terrible. There _is_ a path branching off from what he assumes to be the residential district where they had been staying, flanked by pink trees with blue blossoms that smell wonderfully like chocolate. 

Petals dance from their silver boughs, swaying gracefully with the breeze, shimmering in the sunlight as they hit the marbled pathways. Link, being as tired as he is, simply sits at a fountain's edge and watches the scenery around him. Occasionally another zora will poke its head past a curtain, some colored white, some others shaded like the rainbow and washing the pathways over in brilliant rivers of color. 

The zora here seem to mostly keep to themselves, only offering Link a quick glance as they mill about their business. They eventually disappear along the roads, leaving Link to loiter by himself with the background of running water behind him. 

He doesn't quite remember when he finally drags himself to his feet. He's still greasy and grimy, and his hair feels stringy and strange, crunching at the ends in an unpleasant fashion. He knew soaking in a hot spring wouldn't exactly help all of his problems, but the water would hopefully be softer, kinder to both his skin and hair. He just wants to smell decent again, too. Motivation overtakes drowsiness at the very least, offering him a push as he walks along.

The path Sidon had pointed out is covered in the protection of trees' branches, though the land flattens out slightly to offer him a view past thickened overgrowth that spreads across the land. Spots of moving color can be seen, quick glimpses of browns and blacks, hues attached to animals with long legs and faces like foxes. Link thinks they are simply deer, at first; but one turns to face him, offering him the jarring conclusion that the creatures are just as unworldly as anything else in this place. 

He clears his throat and sets his gaze forward, ignoring the creatures as he continues along the winding road. Eventually there's an incline, a stairway made of solid wood that guids him into a crevice carved into the mountain side. Steam billows out from the entrance, and inside the cavernous walls Link's met with pools stacked haphazardly on top of the other, overflowing in small waterfalls where the water runs its course to the mouth of the cave and spills over the edge in a glistening ribbon. 

The edges of the pools glow that same golden blue as the stones outside, illuminating the walls in their gentle shade. A sense of something like normalcy washes over him, and Link undresses himself somewhat bashfully and busies himself with his business. 

First order: washing his clothes. He skins out of them, setting his boots to the side and propping them against a vase that looks to be made of stained glass. There's water in it as well, and it even appears to give off a subtle glow, making the vase glimmer and cast little specks of color upon the ground.

Link leaves it be as he shuffles back towards the pool, clutching his clothes close to his naked body. This is what he's _supposed_ to do, but he can't help but feel a little self-conscious about the situation anyway. Someone else could walk in on him at any moment, and it leaves him with a lingering paranoia that settles at the back of his throat and tugs at the top of his heart.

Dipping his clothes into the water, he quickly runs them underneath the current to get the blood stains out as best as he can manage. There's a lingering brown hue against the blue once he's finally done, but it's the last thing on his mind as he sets them out in the sun, letting them dry as he finally dips himself into the water of the spring. 

And it's _warm,_ reminding him of the exact feeling he'd gotten at the first pool Sidon had taken him to. It leaves his skin feeling tingly, the subtle cuts of his wounds crawling like static as the water soaks into his skin. 

Suddenly exhaustion is back with a vengeance and clawing at his eyes, dragging his lids down, and before Link can help it, he's asleep. 

When he wakes up, it's with a sudden jerk that that sends the shock of panic up his spine. The water splashes as he looks around, righting himself as best he can through the quiver in his spine that travels all the way through him to the ground. The sun's not as bright as it had been, its light slipping from the mouth of the cave towards the ground below it instead, the glow of the water and stones brighter in the dimming evening. In the trees Link can see those strange white orbs, and he kicks himself internally as he realizes he must have slept the entire day away. 

He looks around, only to find he's still alone. Nothing's been messed with, nothing's been left for him, and it...leaves him feeling strangely empty as he hurries to dry himself off. 

With the darkness encroaching, it's a little hard to find his way back towards the village. Link finds himself wandering off the pathway more than once, thorns clinging to his clothing, the leaves of bushes brushing against his skin. 

Eventually he spots the glow of the village through the leaves, and he hurries towards it with a spring in his step until he finds himself back in the clearing before the rooms where they'd been staying. Flora clings to the fabric of his clothes, specks of dirt and mud laughing in the face of the effort he'd put towards cleaning it all. He merely sighs as he brushes himself off, glancing around at the houses, his eyes subconsciously searching for a familiar flash of red. 

Surprisingly, he actually _sees_ it. Sidon's wandering back to their room, looking worn as he pushes past the curtain. Link can see him hesitate, and he shuffles past the clearing as quickly as he can manage to reach the other man. 

Sidon turns just as Link approaches him, and there's an awkward bump as they collide momentarily. 

“Ah! My friend,” Sidon chuckles, catching Link by the shoulders and steadying him. “I'm terribly sorry. I was about to be on my way to look for you. I trust everything has been okay...?” 

Link nods his response, attempting a small gesture of communication. He waves his hand from the top of his head, down, before clasping it with the other and resting his head against his two hands. He then feigns sleep...and Sidon makes a noise of understanding, for once.

“I've done that many times myself,” he laughs, a warm sound that helps comfort Link to the core. “The springs here are endowed with Ruta's blessing, much like the healing pool back home. And considering our recent lack of rest, it's no wonder you drifted off as you had. Do not fret, my friend.” He smiles, squinting his eyes as he ushers Link into the room. 

“There is...something I'd like to discuss with you, though,” Sidon murmurs, letting the curtain fall shut behind them. The sun's rays are still errant, scattered through leaves and between stones, and casting a warm, red glow into the room. It gives it a rather somber atmosphere, like Sidon's about to tell him of loved ones past, of their voices that have been lost to the void some time ago. 

But instead he sits down upon the floor, inviting Link to do the same thing. 

So he does, carefully positioning himself in front of the other. 

“I can't go with you.” 

He pauses with a tension, his shoulders stiff. The sunlight catches his skin in the most beautiful shades of red, and it has Link thinking about rubies as Sidon carries on. 

“Only one is permitted allowance to the Beast, apparently. I can accompany you to the entrance, but aside from that, you will...you will be on your own. If you'd rather not be put in this kind of situation, I understand, but with it being the only way to get you back home, I'm afraid there's no other option for us at the moment.” 

He tilts his head, his tail slipping from over his shoulder towards his back. Link watches it go, before catching that fierce, yellow gaze. 

The most Link can do is offer a shrug and a nod. It can't be the worst thing in the world, facing something like this on his own. Sidon breathes out, fast and heavy, but there's no relief to be seen as he scoots a little closer towards Link and takes his hands. 

“You may come back out, whenever you need to,” he says, gazing imploringly into Link's eyes. “You are not required to go through with it. We can find somewhere for you to stay until you are ready, but-” 

But Link cuts Sidon off with a finger to his lips, a gesture that leaves him momentarily stunned, silenced. 

“Uh,” Sidon says, blinking, still as a statue as his pupils engorge. “I take it you are fine with this arrangement...?” 

Link nods again, this time around earning him a soft breath of ease from Sidon's mouth. It brushes against the pads of his fingers, hot and wet like the humidity left over from a thunderstorm. 

“I have no idea what awaits you inside of Ruta's domain,” he admits, bowing his head. “Only my sister has ever been in there. She outlived our old Queen, so there is no one left to consult. O'rha has been sworn to secrecy, as have the rest of the villagers. While she may talk, there are still limits to what she can openly discuss. So...” 

His words trail off, and a pattering of rain hitting the marble pathways outside can be heard, filling the silence.

“Nonetheless,” Sidon perks up after a moment, his lips spread wide to reveal a grin, “I have the utmost faith you will do just fine. There are no dangers in these caves, from what I've been told. Only a...ah, how did O'rha say it...? A trial of sorts, to prove your intentions, I do believe. What that means, I do not know, but...” 

He shrugs, moving to lean against the wall. Link does the same, and the wind catches the curtain just enough to sweep it to one side. The sun's dipped below the horizon, leaving just enough light to illuminate half the sky in a deep orange, while it reflects a rainbow onto the grey, darker clouds that are encroaching from the other side. It's a beautiful sight, and Sidon looks to it as well, his blackened eyes widening as they gaze upon the arch. 

“I do wonder what colors you see, friend,” he muses, crossing his arms over his chest with a thoughtful hum resonating within. “Perhaps one day, we can enchant you to be like me. There _are_ such spells, just very few individuals willing to perform them. But mayhap one day.” 

Link toys with the thought, palms pressed to the back of his knees as he brings them up to himself, his gaze still upon the sky where it shows itself occasionally behind the curtain. It's almost black, then a deep purple, and the rumble of distant thunder can be heard rolling across the clouds. 

Sidon seems to tense, his eyes falling back to Link, to the ground. Link notes there's barely a hint of color within their depths, rendering them like obsidian mirrors, showing him nothing of the emotion beneath their surfaces. 

But it's something he doesn't dwell upon. The thunder grows louder, more intense, and Link finds he enjoys the sounds of it, even if they are more...amplified. Each flash of the sky is a telltale sign of a much larger crash of noise, something that cracks through the basin and rumbles the very ground underneath them. Link grows used to it, but even he's migrated towards the back of the room with Sidon, grateful the wind doesn't seem to be pushing into their room. 

If anything, there's barely _any_ wind. Link assumes it's from the protection of the basin, a point he's probably not entirely wrong about. He'd ask, but again, flailing his hands around to make a point is difficult. There's also the fact it'd involve a bit of science, and Link isn't quite sure if Sidon knows of the finer details of things like that or not. 

Maybe, though, if he could possibly change shapes, he can possibly gain the ability to talk. It's something worth looking into; and if he ever does, he'd have to ask then. For the moment, his eyes are heavy, and despite the cold stone underneath him, Link feels himself drift off on the waves of sleep once more. 

It's not the entirely restful kind. It's the kind filled with fluttering images, of red skin and a girl whose face is all but familiar, yet still tugs at the edges of his heart when he hears her voice. It's a muffled sound, calling out to him, telling him of something urgent. Sometimes it sounds like she's singing a song.

Link looks around, the phantom touch of a wind not entirely there brushing past his cheeks and tugging at his hair as he gazes into a misty darkness. He can see a flash of white, a light catching the surface of a dark pool of water. Mist lingers above its surface, and the scene ebbs into view around him as his eyes settle upon the landscape of a cave materializing around himself. 

There's a lake housed within its cavernous walls, and the girl's voice has receded into something deeper, something more sinister as it speaks to him in muffled tongues he can't quite grasp. 

_I...'m wai-..tin...g..._

It penetrates him to the bone, shakes him at the core. The rest of what it's murmuring in his ears is incoherent, but that same girl with the red skin and yellow eyes is looking towards him from the center of the lake, her talons clasped in front of her as she holds within her expression something hopeful, something somber. 

This time, familiarity sweeps at the edges of his memory, but the image of her is erased the moment he jerks awake. 

Sidon's leaned upon him once again, his tail draped over Link's shoulder, the fluttering touch of gills brushing against his arm. It tickles almost, but Sidon is a warm, comforting weight, an argument against the subtle instinct to push him away. It's a bit mean to even think that in the first place, and Link feels incredibly guilty as he strokes Sidon's tail, tracing the outline of a fresh scar inlaid against the side of his head. 

The night he was attacked floods his memories, and Link shudders involuntarily as he looks toward their door. 

Every so often the curtain ripples, revealing the sky and its rose-touched hue of a rising sun. Link finds the will within himself to go back to sleep, but even then, there's a slight nick of anxiety chipping away at his diaphragm with each breath he takes. It keeps him awake, up until Sidon himself stirs with the sign of awakening of his own accord. 

Link feigns sleep at that point still, not wanting to embarrass Sidon. After all, Link had been, was still stroking his head, the front of his strange bump that Sidon seemed to have leaned into. Link doesn't quite know if the guy is touchy-feely, and he doesn't quite know if he'd appreciate being treated like a lap pet. 

So still he lies, listening to Sidon yawn, stretch, pop a few joints before heaving himself away from Link and getting to his feet. He leaves the room, and Link lets his eyes open fully before sitting upright. His neck complains loudly and catches itself in the same position leaned to the side, and Link rubs at it with a pained expression slowly, carefully. His entire body isn't quite happy with recent events and makeshift beds, and it's showing as every muscle strains itself and screams its protest as he gets to his feet.

Only then does everything seem to ease, and he slips outside for his own business. 

He meets Sidon on the way back into the room, a glowing smile cast in his direction as Sidon props the curtain to the side for him. 

“We will visit Ruta when the sun begins to set. For now, I imagine you must be terribly hungry. I do not believe you had a chance to eat yesterday, did you?”

Like it was being summoned, a growl rumbles from deep within his middle, and Link laughs sheepishly as he rubs at it. There's something that flashes in Sidon's eyes, but it's something Link fails to catch as they step back inside their room. 

They fuss with their bags, and Sidon's pulling something out from within the depths of Link's. It's wrapped in a blue cloth, soft to the touch yet oddly smooth when Sidon hands it over to him. Curious, he unwraps it, showing the dark brown of a baked husk of what seems to be bread swaddled within it. 

“I'm not quite sure how this works,” Sidon murmurs, poking at the bread hard enough to bury a claw within its depths. “But I was told there were various other ingredients baked inside. Here...” 

He cuts it open, and sure enough, a mess of something yellow, something red, something _delicious_ shows itself from within. It reminds Link of pasta, of pizza fillings, and for once, it tastes similar to his initial thoughts. Though, the longer he chews at the meat, the more it begins to taste like chicken. Then kind of like duck. Then back again to sausage. 

Either way, Link devours it, downing a drink offered from Sidon. 

“The fresh waters here are rich in minerals from the mountains. Not terribly the best-tasting thing to me personally, but I'm sure it'll hydrate you for some time. I believe that's the purpose of this particular mix.” 

It tastes bitter, and Sidon's right; it isn't the best thing. But it does leave Link feeling somewhat refreshed, energy perking his shoulders into an upright position as he finishes his share of the food. Sidon's barely touched his, instead wrapping it back up and setting it to the side as his thoughtful gaze settles upon Link instead. 

“Here soon, we'll be heading back to O'rha,” he muses, head tilted to the side. “She'll have to bless you, before you enter the cave. If at any moment you wish to cancel the ceremony, though, just let me know.” 

Link nods, but he doesn't object. He doesn't do anything as he lets his food digest instead, basking in the sun that's flooding their room with their curtain pulled to the side. Out in the clearing he can see scattered flowers, petals swept up in the breeze and swirling in the wind, all little things having been knocked askew from the storm last night. An errant branch rolls across the marble with the flowers, and Link and Sidon just watch them as the sun slowly makes its journey across the skies. 

Eventually, Sidon's tapping his shoulder, dragging Link back to their reality of existing awareness.

“Let us be off,” he murmurs, getting to his feet and urging Link to do the same. They walk side by side, back down the rolling paths towards the bottom of the basin, where O'rha's home awaits them. Once inside, even in the daylight, it's still akin to walking into the night itself; though, this time around, as Link's aching eyes adjust to the sudden darkness, he can seen pinpricks of light pressed into the ceiling, tiny sparkling dots that resemble stars.. 

“Sidon,” O'rha rumbles, that curious clicking noise ever-present in her strange, otherworldly voice. “Is he prepared?” 

“He is.” And Sidon sweeps Link to the front, towards the edge of the pool where O'rha awaits him. 

She goes quiet, and up close like this, Link doesn't even see any indication that she has eyes. It's unsettling, even more so when one of those strange tendrils from her mouth comes wandering toward him. 

It slips across his cheek, sending a violent shudder down his spine that he can't entirely hold back. It persists as that touch traces the side of his neck, down to his shoulder, and back up towards the base of his neck. 

“Good,” she finally mutters after a moment. “The Beast has already reached out to you. While I am not sure why, it's a promising reassurance. At least we know you will not be rejected and possibly kill yourself, or the Beast. Step closer, human, for my faith in you has grown, and I'd like it to be known.” 

And Link does, the tremble in his limbs only worsening as O'rha guides him closer, closer, into the pool with herself. 

“Dispose of your clothing. You ought disguise yourself, and wear something that will hide your eyes, for I cannot guarantee your safety if you make direct eye contact with the Beast.”

Link wants to argue, and he does so in the form of throwing a harsh gaze over his shoulder towards Sidon, the water of the small pool swallowing him to the waist. Sidon only offers him a sympathetic look in return, and that silly little thumbs-up he knows how to do for one reason or another. It's not at all what Link wanted, but seeing as how they are the only three in the room, and O'rha is blind, and he can trust Sidon...

Link shudders, and slowly he does as he's told. 

Sidon's gaze burns into his back like a fever. Whether Sidon is actually looking or not, Link doesn't know, but it keeps him on edge, paranoid, as he sets every article of his clothing to the side of the pool. 

“Bring it in,” O'rha calls out, and Link jumps as one of the tall, ghostly-white zora from yesterday enters the room. 

Within his arms is a bundle of something blue, and he carries it over to Link who's desperately trying to turn himself away at the waist. The zora doesn't seem to really mind, his eyes downcast as he drops to a knee and offers Link the bundle in his arms. Link plucks at it, fingers trembling from both nerves and the chill that's soaking him to the bone. 

“Put it on. We've held these since the days of our Queen Mipha, who held these relics in her possession for some time before even we had. Why she had them, or why I'm told they seem to match your build, we do not know. But don them, and we will continue with the ritual until nightfall.” 

The zora handing him the clothes offers Link a bow, before making his leave through the door from whence he came. Link glances at Sidon, who's still watching intently. It makes dressing into the strange garments a bit of a task, his shaking fingers dropping cloth that feels strangely like Sidon's skin into the water. 

Scales made of silver adorn the fabric at the ends of his limbs, rising up before fading in a subtle gradient that leaves the glimmering blue that clings to his skin on show. It feels like trying to slide into wet rubber the entire time, but after some fuss, Link manages to get the outfit on and feels...

Entirely, utterly ridiculous. 

It hugs his form like a second skin, morphing him into a shape that makes him look like a smaller, more vulnerable zora. Elaborate, elegant jewels adorn his wrists, ankles, and his neck, all woven together by the silver metal of jewelry that the other zora wore back in the domain. There's a headdress as well, something that Link self-consciously tucks his hair into and lets rest upon his head, down across his eyes, the fins and tail of so many other zora before him complete at the sides.

Link plays with a fin at the side of his head for something to do, continuing to look himself over carefully. It really is a perfect fit, at the very least. 

O'rha hums once the splashing of the pool ceases, and she nods in Link's direction. 

“Looking as one of us should please it. Now, step forward, and I will bequeath unto you a blessing that will allow you safe passage through the caves.” 

The tendrils beckon him forward, and Link's just grateful he's got the new clothes on his body to block the feeling of those things upon his skin. They rest against his shoulders, wrap around his wrists, and there's a strange vibration he can feel through them that travels up his spine and rattles his skull. 

O'rha begins to sing, though it's far from anything like the beautiful melody he'd heard in his dream. It's a guttural noise, one that rakes against the stones and grinds against Link's eardrums, offering the first prick of a headache behind his left eye. It's a terrible drone, one that digs into his core and carries him off like a weightless feather down a river made of stars. 

Link blinks a few times, his scenery changing around him as the river continues to pull him along its course. O'rha's voice has turned into many and one, resonating in his ears and guiding him towards some energy he can feel tugging at his soul. 

The very universe seems to turn around him, washing him over in starlight and choking him on comets. Stardust washes over his skin and embeds itself into his eyes, and O'rha's singing grows in intensity as the river throws him into the swelling tide of the sea. 

Creatures of the ocean he's more intimately familiar with swim around him, glowing as the cosmos themselves and singing O'rha's song around him. It's an empty melodic noise, the kind that fills him from the bottoms of his soles to the ache in his head as he's suspended there, lights of universes past dancing across his body. 

The noise grows to its climax and lifts him up, and then one final note cuts itself abruptly, and Link feels himself smack against the edge of the pool. 

He gasps for air, momentarily stunned as he props himself up onto an elbow. 

“It is done,” O'rha mutters, clicking absently to the darkness around them. “Guide him to the entrance, Sidon, but leave him there. Time will tell if and when he will come back to us.” 

There's a shuffling noise behind Link, and while his eyes are momentarily blinded, there's a reassuring hold around his waist that tugs him from the pool. Sidon holds him by the shoulders, talons slipping low to his wrists. 

Slowly Link's eyesight comes back to him, and he manages a laugh as he nods to the quiet, murmured, _are you all right?_ s. 

Sidon keeps him there for but a moment, readjusting the headdress upon Link's crown to ensure he can see properly. Then they're walking, past O'rha, towards the guard from yesterday who may or may not have been the same one to give unto Link his new garb. 

Link watches as the zora slides his talons along the wall, brilliant streaks of blue following their wake. He traces a pattern against the stone, and with one final flash of light, there's a grinding of rock against rock as an entryway is revealed to them. 

Torches lit with a blue, shimmering fire guide the way into an abyssal darkness, and the zora gestures for Link to step inside. 

“I'll be waiting here for you, my friend,” Sidon says, his voice small, but not devoid of hopefulness and inspiration. “Take as long as you need. I promise, I will be here when you return.” 

He nods, taking Link's hands in his and muttering something underneath his breath. Link doesn't quite catch the words before he's being ushered into the cave, and once he's fully within its domain, the walls slam shut behind him. 

The crashing resonates and sends a shudder down his spine, and dust falls from the ceiling. Link eyes it warily, taking a moment to gather himself and his nerves back into one malleable conscience he can use to his advantage. He has to remind himself that just because it's dark, doesn't mean there's dangers awaiting him within this place. The soft glow of the torches offers something of a comfort, and with a hard swallow, Link forces himself down the path. 

It's straight, narrow, and utterly empty. The perfectly-rounded arch of the vaulted ceiling makes Link wonder if this is man-made or not, and he wastes his time thinking about that instead of possible impending doom. He doesn't want to think about that, for he's been reassured that there shouldn't be any, but it still unsettles him as he continues to walk, hugging himself as the air takes on a bitter bite to its dusted thickness.

Eventually, a subtle curve begins to form in the path in the form of going downwards. Link doesn't have much choice but to follow it into the earth, fighting the tremble and ignoring the sounds he thinks he's hearing. It's nearly impossible when it sounds like the demons are on his heels, yet somewhere far away in another plane, watching, waiting. 

The hair rises to a stand on the back of his neck, and he picks up a rigorous pace in his step. 

Eventually, winded and nearly worn, Link stumbles across the opening of a clearing. He can hear the sounds of water lapping at the edges of stone, of dirt and pebbles, and his eyes adjust to reveal to him a lake housed within a massive cave. 

Suddenly his dream is fresh within his mind, the déjà vu of the situation hitting him like a truck. Despite the dream, despite what he'd seen...there's something more to the way he approaches the water, taking note of an unlit torch propped against the side of a burning brazier. The same blue fire from the passage way is housed within its depths, looking like sparkling sand as the flames lick at the air. 

Link plucks the torch from the ground, and without much thought, lights the end in the fire. 

There's a rush of wind, a knock of something hitting the shore. Link looks over to see a raft of sorts floating on the grey water, hitting the blackened sand almost insistently. It's old and weathered, rather rickety and squeaky as Link steps up onto it, but he trusts its integrity as the wind blows once more, catching sails that tug him towards the center of the lake. 

It's a little wobbly at first, but Link manages to catch his balance. Even if he did fall, he's capable of swimming back to safety, at the very least. Or one of the stone pillars barely breaching the surface of the lake, offering a flat platform for...whatever. 

Funnily enough, the wind stops just before one of the platforms, and the raft bumps gently against it. Link cautiously steps up onto the stone, looking around himself warily. A mist has started to form on the surface of the water, swirling and rolling out around him like clouds with the promise of another storm. Beside him upon the stone is another brazier, and around him are three other platforms, all with the same brazier in their centers. 

Curious, Link dips his torch to the brazier. As presumed, it flares to life in a lovely shade of blue. 

The wind picks up once more, and quickly, Link gets back onto the raft. The mist has grown thicker, but the raft carries him to each platform, where he lights the brazier and allows the wind to carry him to the next. 

He finds himself at the last platform in no time, the brazier lit, everything eerily still as he waits for some kind of reaction. 

Then the rumbling begins, almost throwing Link to his hands and knees. It takes him a moment to realize where the source is coming from, but from the center of the platforms there's a disturbance in the water. Like a fountain come to life, the water bubbles around something rising from the depths, washing over its surface to reveal an entrance to...another cave. 

The wind picks up in its direction, and Link finds himself hurrying to the raft once more, pure instinct guiding his feet. 

The wind itself rushes him to the mouth of a rounded entrance, howling its mournful song as it slips into a new darkness. It picks up just enough to wipe the flame from his torch, and while he's tempted to relight it, there's a ferocity behind the wind that tugs him into the maw of the cave whether he likes it or not. 

Darkness settles on his eyes like a blanket, silence ringing to the tune of blood rushing in his ears. He doesn't know if he should go forward, left, right, or back outside, but the wind seems to push him along in the direction he needs to go. It tugs at his sternum, keeping him on point until suddenly he's frozen, eyes locked on the ethereal blue form suspended in the dark. 

Runes of a language unknown glimmer upon its flank, a body rounded in resemblance to the plesiosaur of old. Skin as translucent as smoke, Link can see the structure of its bones within its body, their outlines imprinted on the otherwise flat scenery before him. Yet the creature is all too real, made of depth and wonders, and it bows a head towards Link to look him over carefully with eyes that aren't there. 

Link avoids them as best as he can. 

The quiet is almost too much to bear, and it almost has Link to his knees before he hears a voice, distant and far off, like it's coming from one universe to another to talk with him; but it speaks in tongues he only heard in his dream, and a glimmer of red from beside the creature catches his eye. 

_...ave been- wai...ting,_ Link thinks he hears, and he dares to look over at the incorporeal mass that's slowly turning itself a more proper form. 

The girl from his dream, though she's a zora now he realizes, her eyes just as absent and nonexistent as the beast's. Link can see through her, too, but there's a familiarity in her face that reminds him of Sidon, of his father, and...suddenly, it clicks. 

Mipha. 

He wants to say her name, but lack of voice affronts him with a harsh blow to his quivering throat. The girl steps closer, a hand reaching out to him, as if to soothe his unspoken anxieties. 

_We've been waiting,_ she says in a voice more clear, emotionless, as her form makes it way around Link's body. 

_Of flesh and blood not of this world, for thou we've waited to return unto us, to banish the blight from our soil and surrender our powers to where we came. So we might be whole again, one with this world and thine._

There's an ice-cold feeling that washes over his head as Link listens to her talk, and momentary confusion grips his heart as he attempts to wrap himself around the words being offered to him; but, like the burn of frost-bitten ice against his flesh, there's a searing pain that rakes itself along Link's spine and, this time, sends him physically to his knees. 

_Go,_ the girl whispers, _and bring back what once belonged to us. Go, and eradicate the darkness..._

She steps in front of him, gazing down upon his form with intentions unknown, the gaze of the creature behind her, looming over her shoulder. Link finds himself helplessly looking up, struggling against the burn ravaging his spine as he locks eyes with the creature. 

There's an inexplicable feeling of the world having disappeared from underneath him, a sensation of being carried. But all he can remember are those empty eyes, the way they pierced into his very soul and cried a plea in words only it can know. Everything aches, from the inside of his ribcage to the outside of his skin, and there's a shiver that undoes the very structure of his skeleton and sends him plummeting into unconsciousness. 

It's a blackness akin to the kinds he's seen, the kind that swallows him whole and keeps him there, safe and warm. It refuses to let him go, even when Link's vaguely aware of a voice calling to him, the sensation of being offered a gentle touch. While he just wants to ignore it, it's persistent, and Link's finally allowing his eyes to flutter open to the white lights of the daylight around him. 

He groans as he sits upright, and he hears someone exhale a sigh of relief next to him. 

“Oh, my friend,” Sidon breathes, wrapping his two long arms around Link's shoulders and clutching him close. “You were gone for quite some time! I was afraid something had happened, and when you showed back up at the entrance, unconscious...I didn't even know what to think. But they've got you with their medicine healer, and she's been taking wonderful care of you.” He smiles, gesturing to another zora beside him. 

She's blue, with a flat face and wide, kind eyes. No fins nor head-tail hang from her, instead a ridge like a fin that spreads down along her spine. She offers Link a smile and a polite nod of her head before moving elsewhere, into a different room. Link looks down, and is surprised to find himself in one of their pool...beds. 

He doesn't feel the water, the skin of his new outfit keeping it completely at bay. There's even a lack of having to tread underneath himself to keep him afloat; the outfit seems to be doing everything for him. He lets out a breath as he gladly allows the water to cradle him in its warm embrace. 

“Did everything go all right? Did you receive the Beast's blessing...?” Sidon looks hopeful, eyes wide, a talon reaching out to poke past Link's headdress and rub itself against his cheek. 

Link, admittedly, doesn't remember much. The only image that lingers with him is that large creature, its eyes and how they seemed to physically bore into him. He still aches somewhere in the back of his mind, a lingering pain in his very core that he reaches up to clutch at through his chest. 

Sidon watches, making a small noise of offered sympathy. “I hope you aren't terribly injured. Even in your sleep, we had to be gentle with your back...you would make quite the fuss if anyone tried to touch it. Perhaps we can look it over, now that you're awake? And you can wear your other clothes as well, if they'd be more comfortable.” 

Link's exhausted, limbs wanting nothing more than to float there in the water, suspended, but he nods his agreement. Slowly, and with Sidon's help, he climbs out of the pool and carefully moves to undress himself. 

Sidon's still helping, easing the strange armor's skin away from his to reveal his torso. It's when his back is exposed that Sidon gasps, eyes wide and curious as he allows another talon to run along the edge of Link's spine. 

“Oh _my,”_ he murmurs, his pupils large enough once again to hide any color in his eyes. “I wonder if this is proof, or the blessing itself...” 

Link tries to turn and look for himself, but the motion hurts him too much, sending a pain like sheer, burning ice up into his skull. Link grunts and allows himself to be caught by Sidon, who leads him to a crystalline mirror in the corner of the room instead. Carefully, he turns Link about, and with some dedication and slow ease upon his muscles, Link can see what he's talking about. 

Even he gasps when he sets his gaze upon himself. Laced against his pale flesh is a marking as blue as the runes, as blue as the zora themselves, glowing in a swirling pattern that traces the ridges of his discs and decorates itself against the sinew of his curved back. 

It's a pattern that reminds him of frost against a window, jagged and harsh, yet pristine and oddly beautiful. It stretches itself from the base of his skull to the end of his spine, and Link's offering it the faintest ghost of a touch before grimacing. It's tender to the touch, the skin around the marking red and inflamed, oozing blood in some spots that he hadn't noticed until now. 

Sidon's fingers are twitching, but he helps Link undress fully and gets him back into the pool. It's a more shallow one, one that allows him to stand if he needs it. 

“The waters will heal you,” Sidon offers, managing a smile as he gestures around them. “They're from the same springs in the mountains as the hot springs were. We'll give you a night, and then I daresay we should head back home, before we continue our journey to the west. Blessed by one Beast is promising, and I'm sure we can get you the others ere long. I just hope the others will be as compliant...” 

But that's a subject Sidon allows to drift off, and he looks back to Link with a nod. “I will go speak to O'rha. Doubtless she will be interested in what we have discovered, and will want to see you soon. But for now, you just rest, my friend.” 

He pats Link on the head, and while Link would have disliked the motives behind the action, he lets it go. He's far too tired, and the events that had transpired weigh heavy on his mind. 

Mipha's face is all that he sees when he finally drifts back into an uneasy slumber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the small break y'all! I just needed a moment to breathe and set the course for this chapter, since after this, we'll be moving on! But thank you for your patience, and I hope you guys enjoyed the update! <3 (´ω｀)
> 
> I'm also slightly embarrassed...a lot of this was self indulgent, bleeding pretty words all over the keyboard lolol


	9. Curious Things

O'rha's tendrils finish their examination of the mark, and Link shudders when they finally pull away. There's a strange, oozy feeling left behind, a subtle ache in his muscles that worsens as he pulls his shirt back over himself. The pool had done what it could, but between straining himself and O'rha's general...presence, he feels like he's gone a few underneath the taffy stretcher. 

Sidon offers him a comforting touch to the back of his neck, smooth talons brushing against still-inflamed skin. 

“That is most definitely the blessing,” O'rha mutters, leaning back as her thoughtful clicks resound through the air. “The boy's very soul has been marked as well. I daresay there is some promise within his being. It merely depends on how he wishes to use it.” 

Sidon nods quietly in agreement, and Link finds himself doing the same. He's still utterly exhausted, confused, his limbs as heavy as lead and his spine still burning from the cold. At least, it _feels_ cold. He's not sure anymore, really; the nerves in his fingertips have gone dull, even more so in the muscles upon his back. It's a strange feeling, one he hopes will eventually fade in time as they continue their journey through this strange place of a world. 

“I bid you farewell and safe travels, Prince Sidon,” O'rha hums, turning her face towards him, mocking the expression of looking him over. “If anything is to go awry, you bring him back here to us, your people. While away, I suggest you make your way across the plains for the Rito. They should be most amicable in helping you with the rest of your self-given task.” 

“Thank you,” Sidon murmurs, bending over in an elaborate bow that keeps him in place. “If all is well, we should see each other again soon.” 

A hummed response is his answer, and the two twins of zora are guiding them about their process of leaving the basin. 

Eponine awaits them at the entrance to the little village, her bright, golden eyes eager to see the two of them. The zora leave them at their original posts guarding the entrance, nodding their silent goodbyes and watching the two leave after they pack their belongings back onto Eponine. 

The morning is early, the sun barely kissing the horizon by the time they start their trek upon the path. Distant birdsong can be heard, though it's the same single, melodic note that echoes its way eerily through the trees, bouncing off the rock sides and threatening a shiver down Link's spine. The air is hot and heavy, thick with the moisture of yesterday's storm and smothering Link's lungs as they move along. 

By the time they reach the downward-sloping path leading back to the stables, the sun is low and orange, the sky around it pink and purple as it brings in the indigo of a clear, sparkling twilight. 

Eponine's course is set straight for the stables, where distant music similar to an accordion can be heard. But maybe it _is_ one, its tinny notes elongated into something bright and beautiful as it fills the evening air. Link listens with some wonder, adjusting himself within Eponine's saddle as his eyes glance around. 

To his surprise, the meadow that had been empty the last time is now full of tents and yurts, shimmering, swaying, matte fabrics all rippling in the breeze as peoples of all colors and shapes and sizes mill about their business. 

Sidon catches Link staring, and he's grinning as he urges Eponine to a stop. “I was afraid we had missed it!” he exclaims, ridding Eponine's bags of their belongings. “This is the traveling market I was telling you about, my friend. They only come this way once a year, when the weather is warm and the rains are many. Go on, you should have a look around before we properly retire to our room. I'll go take care of that now, and meet with you anon.” 

Link nods, somewhat nervous as he shimmies his way awkwardly from the saddle. Sidon coos to Eponine gently, leading her along back to the stable hands before disappearing inside it proper. Link's almost tempted to just follow, but there's a scent upon the breeze that has his stomach rumbling, and...well, if Sidon's got the money, perhaps they can buy whatever it is that smell is coming from. 

Link wanders towards the meadow, somewhat slow and cautious as he allows the atmosphere to swallow him whole. It's almost like walking into another universe again, the bustling and chattering of beings that are both human-like and not surrounding him in subtle crowds. He recognizes the forms of the tall people with pointed ears, their sharp eyes occasionally falling upon him and looking him over with wonder, curiosity, disdain. 

Then there's individuals are aren't even human, coming in all shades of the earth and stones and rounded, the ground rumbling with each step they take. Their voices are deep and booming, their laughter like thunder and their tents like volcanoes. Link can even feel the heat coming from within their depths, for as far off as he is from them. 

The music comes from people shaped like birds, giant and towering over him with feathers glimmering in all iridescent colors of the rainbow. How they're managing to play instruments is beyond Link, but the voices of two (what he assumes to be) girls of the strange race are clear and beautiful, singing a song of soaring above winds, of feeling weightless and free and blessed. 

What he's seen doesn't even seem to cover the entirety of what the market has to offer, though. There's wares being hawked that are strenuous to look at it, that seem to slip from his very line of vision the harder he tries to observe. There's animals being sold, from the horses to...other, horses, made of nothing but bones with glowing red eyes in their skulls. They rattle and howl, and Link feels the shudder claw at his skin as he quickly looks away from them. 

Glimmering jewels can be seen from the people with the pointed ears, circlets and earrings and rings and bangles, outfits made of silk and precious metals with fierce spears at their sides. Grilling meat tugs his nose to and fro, but then there's the blue of a group of tents in the distance that catches his eye and drags him forward. 

Sure enough, a little section of the market seems to belong to the zora, offering wares in forms of silvered tridents and exotic pearls from the depths of their waters. They're a little more _off_ than Sidon, resembling their own forms of sharks, from tigers to hammerheads, and they're big and brawny and their laughter is raucous as it echoes through the aisles of trampled grass. Link watches their maws, huge and filled with two, three, four rows of teeth, and how they form words that are just barely audible to his ears. 

He catches the eyes of the tiger shark, their glowing white irises looking him over once before going entirely black. Unlike Sidon, there's a definite hunger in their depths, a playful coyness in his demeanor as he elbows his companion in the side. 

Link quickly turns down another aisle, creating as much distance between him and them as he can. It's easy enough, and even more so when he finds himself lost amid a sea of velveteen purple. The tents are thick, and from their insides wafts a hazy smoke that carries within itself the shapes of cats, dragons, and feathered wings belonging to creatures with three heads. They all look to him with empty, see-through eyes, and Link finds himself avoiding the nebulous clouds as he wanders deeper into the quiet section of perfumed mystery. 

Incense hangs in the air like a weather pattern of its own, emulating the scents of dripping forests and rushing rivers among the flowers almost perfectly. There's an almost dangerous smell of orchid that dances around his head, filling the front of it and nearly sending him head-first into an unconscious slumber. He manages to stumble away from it, the sound of a cackling laughter following after him as he wanders somewhere else, somewhere fresher. 

It's like entering a cloud, and he inhales the air as the tears leave his eyes and grant him clear eyesight once more. More people seem to be about in this area, looking over crystalline orbs, purple amethysts and the deep blues of other such crystals. Link finds himself curious as well, his eyes catching the inside of otherworldly geodes that have captured tiny galaxies within their star-sparkled depths, letting them swirl in a suspended eternity that has him wondering if there's actual life in there. 

He moves on, to flowers in bouquets and by themselves, hanging from the top of a caravan and swirling along the table's legs. They're made of glass it seems, tinkling gently as the wind picks up and lifts their gentle heads in a chorus of unique notes belonging to each petal. 

Link touches the petals of a lily, his fingertip brushing over the smooth surface of its translucence. It's a pity he can't seem to feel much aside from the fact it's smooth, his fingers still numbed and refusing to grant him much else. Still, the clear blue that rises from its center keeps his attention enamored, long enough so an old biddy emerges from her confines of the caravan and looks him over carefully. 

“Interested in my flower, eh?” she asks, an accent to her voice that's oddly familiar. “That there's a silent princess. One of my most favorites. I'm afraid it won't come cheap.” 

Link figured as much, and he moves to put it back in its place. While it's a pretty thing, he has neither the money nor whatever else these people might have dealt and dabbled in. He tries to offer the woman an apologetic smile before stepping away, but she herself is stepping closer, shaking her head as she gestures him in. 

“Aye! Nay, you stay right here, for there's something about you, boy, that has me interest. I don't know what it is, but...” 

She leans close, her wild, reddened hair parting to reveal the pointed face of a...sugar glider? 

Link stares in awe, noting that no, it's not quite what he's thinking of. Similar in size and appearance though it may have been, there's sharp little fangs that hang past its jaw, little ridges along its snout reminding him of the dragons he'd seen in the smoke from earlier. 

But it's gone just as quickly as it came, and the woman is exclaiming her epiphanies as she starts to pat Link down from the hips and up. 

“Here!” she says, digging for his phone and holding it up almost triumphantly. The thing's dead, cracked in multiple places upon the screen even, but she regards it like a lost treasure she's just found again. 

“Ye can have the flower if you let me have this,” she says, wobbling back around behind her table, Link's phone clutched tight in her knobbly, shaking knuckles. She doesn't leave much room to say no, and...while it was rather pricey, it wasn't like Link got much use out of it. Not then, and certainly not now. 

So he nods, somewhat wary as he clutches the flower close in his palm. It sings a gentle song that reminds him of wind chimes blowing in the spring breeze, the kind that thaws the winter and leaves the sky a hopeful grey, a promise of better days. 

The woman is ignoring him as she brings out a pair of something like pliers, moving to delve into his phone. Link turns away, holding his new prize in his hand in somewhat of a daze as he finds himself looking around, wondering what to do. 

He's managed to get himself _lost,_ and it's a strange sort of feeling, considering the meadow itself hadn't even been that big. But he's turning in circles, avoiding the eyes of a blind old crone who seems keen on grabbing his attention after the last had. 

But in an act of glowing serendipity, Sidon's footsteps are heard only seconds before the man himself catches up to Link's side. 

“There you are!” he breathes, relieved as he draws Link in close by the shoulders. “Are you aware you're being followed, my friend? My kind from the west are a brutal lot, and they seem to have picked up your scent. It should be fine if I'm here, though- hm, what's that?” 

He points to Link's hand, where the flower is glowing gently against his skin. The dark of the evening caresses the light in a soft aura that lights up the ground around them, and Link holds it out to Sidon with a bit of a shrug. 

Sidon's eyes seem to light up as he looks the flower over, his own talons holding it gently by its delicate stem. “You should hold onto this,” he finally concludes, giving it back to Link with a nod. “That is a special trinket indeed. It should keep you safe, imbued with magicks that are far kinder than most.” 

Link takes the flower back, eyes wide and curiosity piqued. Honestly, from just looking at it, he wouldn't have had any idea. It's just a flower it seems, glass or not, but something does tell him it'd be best to hold onto it. 

So he does, tucking it carefully away in his pocket. The petals seem to warp and bend, and the light is snuffed once the flower finds home against his hip. Sidon nods again, wrapping his hand around Link's side before gently urging him forward. 

“While I would love to stay and look around more, it's simply not safe at the moment. You'll be sought after for some time, and we just don't know the manner of people who tend to come out at night. So back to our room it is, where we'll be safer and your scent won't be as strong.” Sidon squeezes Link's side, a comforting motion that just makes him grimace as he feels a thumb dig in against his spine. 

Thankfully Sidon's guiding him along back towards the stables, and they find themselves there once the daylight's presence has completely faded. They're staying in the same room as they had the other night, and Link flops onto the bed with a groan, letting its soft comfort wrap around him and drag him into plush cushions that smell like apples. 

He nuzzles against a pillow happily, a smile tugging at his lips as he wraps his arms around the cushion. 

Sidon chuckles from where he sits carefully upon his own bed, though his eyes are on Link as he watches over him carefully. “I can't say I'm the biggest fan of this form of rest,” he mutters, “but seeing you so happy, my friend, makes me happy. If you find yourself dozing, do not be afraid to let it take you, for we can eat tomorrow and be on our way back to my home. And from there, we will decide what to do and where to go to get us to the Rito. I suspect you've seen them at the market, no?” 

Link blinks his blue eyes open, looking to Sidon with a heavy shrug. 

“They are the ones with the wings,” he offers, looking thoughtfully in in Link's direction. “Masters of aerial combat, and with voices to be rivaled and envied. They can mimic those of even the singing ones back home, and therefore have caused quite a bit of problems in the past. But they are a good and honest people, mostly keeping to themselves in the snowy mountains. It'll be rough on the both of us, but I hear there is a special kind of clothing we can buy before the market heads out, and we can be on our way. We'll just have to make sure we visit them before the sun makes its appearance once more.” 

Link's pretending to listen at that point, his tired eyelids threatening to drag him down into abyssal sleep. It's a hard thing to fight, and his spine has popped pleasantly from the position he's stretched himself out into. The back of his shirt feels wet, but it's something he's willing to ignore for the sake of rest. 

But there's gentle talons playing at the hem of his shirt, tugging it up slowly to his shoulders. “I'll be just a moment,” he hears Sidon murmur, and he turns to watch as the man drags something from their bags. Medical supplies from the doctor back at the village, Link concludes, watching as Sidon puts together some of that strange, vomit-looking salve he really wants to swear off forever. 

Sidon's rubbing it along his spine whether he likes it or not, though, but it leaves behind a cooling, refreshing feeling that has him relaxing, rather than retching. 

“It will probably take a few more days of this before your wound has properly sealed and healed,” Sidon muses, his soft talons stroking gentle circles against his skin. “We will want to clean it back home, as well. But for now...” 

He grabs pieces of white cloth, fresh like the snow and just as pure, draping them along Link's back where they conform to his shape and hug his skin. Sidon smiles as he taps Link endearingly between the shoulder blades, letting his shirt fall back around his waist and settle at his hips. 

“There you are, my friend,” he says, voice dulcet and lilted before he sits back upon his bed. “If you need anything else, please let me know, and I will help you.” 

There's a softness to his voice, one far better than the kind underneath himself, a gentle lull to the tone as it washes over Link's ears. He wants to ask for more, for more in the way of a story, a lullaby, a song...but the most he can manage is a nod and a smile, a hand reaching out for Sidon as his weary eyes beat at the front of his brain for sleep. 

Sidon blinks, somewhat perplexed at the gesture. But Link's wiggling his fingers, insistent, until Sidon reaches out to take his hand and holds it in the space between them. There's an unsure look cast his way, a doubt unspoken, but Link nods in reassurance as he wraps his fingers around soft, soft skin that reminds him of the gentle waves of the ocean, of warm sand kissing his skin. 

It's an image that glues itself to the back of his eyelids as he finally allows himself to drift off, Sidon's hand holding his nearly all night long. 

It's a dreamless kind of sleep that leaves Link nearly comatose, and when he finds himself finally roused from the depths of his slumber, he's alone. His hand has been left, abandoned to the side of the bed, freezing and pained as he drags it over the edge of the mattress and underneath the heavy blankets that have been pulled over himself. 

He curls into himself, eyeballing the window to try and glean the time. The sun is up, but where it's at in the sky is a mystery he's unable to solve at the moment. His eyes are gross and gummy, and he wants nothing more than to drift back to sleep and stay like that for another few hours. 

...And he does, apparently. There's a gentle touch upon his shoulder after some time, the kind that's pushing at his lifeless body to urge him awake. Link makes a few noises finally, before blinking the sight back into his world and meeting Sidon's somewhat worried gaze. 

“My friend,” he breathes, a laugh to follow his words as he sits down upon the edge of Link's bed. It dips underneath his weight, and Link is helpless to keep himself from sliding against his form. 

“You sleep like the elderly,” Sidon continues, a little bit of teasing that Link only notices once he's upright, using the support Sidon has to offer to keep himself like that. To actually hear Sidon joking around like that has him laughing, though, looking apologetic as he looks down at the other's lap. There's two bundles resting there, one much larger than the other, situated neatly in wrapped parcels of plain blue cloth. 

“These are the garments I was talking about,” Sidon says, patting them once before setting them to the side. He wraps an arm around Link instead, cradling him close against his side and rubbing his back gently. “The market is gone. I am terribly sorry you didn't get to see more of it, but I'm sure we'll find it again in our travels.” 

He smiles, a soft, gentle thing that makes Link's heart flutter and the heat rise to his ears. He rubs at his cheek as he quickly looks away, silently blaming a possible fever from the wound currently burning its path along his back. It's something Sidon seems to be thinking about as well, for he's easing Link around to face his back towards him, talons working at his shirt, a tongue clicking against the roof of his mouth. 

“It seems it would be a good idea for us to borrow another horse, until this calms and I can feel safer about you having to walk. It does seem an infection is fighting to take hold here...” He sighs, rubbing at Link's shoulder as he moves to clean his skin, to layer that salve upon it once more. 

It's a process that takes some time, leaving Link in a heavy, lazy haze as Sidon works. Maybe he _is_ feeling feverish, for the heat clings to his cheeks and chest, his head weighed down and difficult to work with as the rest of the preparations move about without him entirely there. He just really remembers Sidon finishing his work with helping clean and dress his wound, and Sidon picking him up like he was nothing more than a plush toy to place him upon Eponine's back. 

Once the food find itself in his lap, the water in his system coursing its way through himself, he starts to feel more alert. It still feels more like he could sleep another day and a half before he can feel any semblance of normalcy again, but the strange cheese with meat stuffed into its middle helps him focus on Sidon's words as he speaks about their plans once they return to his domain. 

“Ah...let me handle my father, okay? If he tries to speak to you alone, do not indulge his request.” 

It is a statement out of the blue for Link, making him turn and look at Sidon with mild confusion. Sidon just bows his head, plucking at some kind of fish he holds within his hands. 

Link has to forcibly push away the thoughts of cannibalism for the moment. 

“I overheard his conversation with you, before he bade you leave from our domain. I know what he said about me. Truth be told, I went to great lengths to make sure no one would notice my own leave. I'm sure they're terribly angry. My father will be at first, but until the emotion has swelled and passed, I will handle him. You make sure you just stay away from him. Did you get to know anyone in my absence?” 

He turns to Link, his eyes glowing in the sunlight. They're more radiant than a gemstone, shimmering as the light hits them from all angles. Link has to take a moment to stare, before his groggy mind finally brings up visions of Suzha. 

He nods, somewhat slowly as he thinks about her and her huge teeth. 

“It might be best that you stay near them, then,” Sidon muses, looking satisfied as he eats his fish whole. “The palace won't be very welcoming, if he's going to be angry with you. I doubt he will be so much as he will be at me, but...” 

He sighs. “Better safe than sorry.” 

Link hums a noise of agreement. It's a situation he can deal with, he supposes. Suzha had been nice to him, and with someone with looks like hers, he can't imagine it'll be very hard to find her again. Hopefully Link just even remembers to look for her, once they get there. Already his train of thought slows itself to a languid toil once more, his hands slack around the reins as Eponine guides him along the path. 

It's a path that's much shorter than the one to get to the other zora village. The trees turn scraggly, their roots clinging to what cliff they can as they hang dangerously over their edges. The rush of water can be heard in the air, and the moisture is thicker, feeling like a permanent wet cloth plastered across his face. 

Link can hear the silly engine revs of those strange birds, but even through that, in the waters way down below in the misty, enshrouded lakes, are the voices he heard the first time he'd crossed these bridges. Soft and forlorn, yet simultaneously exciting and enticing... 

If Sidon weren't there, Link might have found himself tugged in their direction. 

But Sidon's anything but distant. His hand finds home upon Link's thigh, slipping to his lower back where it eventually helps keep him in place. There's a fire at the base of his skull that trickles down into an ice-cold nothingness at the base of his spine, where Sidon's hand can barely be felt. It turns into two after some time, Sidon walking carefully at Eponine's side to keep Link from toppling over. 

Eventually, Sidon just keeps close, Link's arm wrapped around his shoulders as he uses the leverage to lean against smothered gills. Link feels bad, but Sidon's warm, and he smells good. 

When the sun's journey wanes towards the horizon they finally cross the opal bridges back towards the domain, and Sidon's worn voice resonates gently in his ear. 

“We're back, my friend,” he murmurs, though there's a distant voice that cuts him off. 

“Prince Sidon?” it asks, bewildered, shocked, concerned. Link can hear the gentle tapping of footsteps against the stone, and in one stroke of serendipitous luck, Suzha comes into his line of sight with eyes wide and voice breathless. 

“We've been looking everywhere for you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got lazy and did a bit of a shorter chapter, but it was a lot of fun! A bit of a moment's respite before we move on, too ( ´ ▽ ` )
> 
> Thank you all for reading! I hope you all enjoyed the update ♥


	10. Whoopsie-daises

“Ah,” Sidon says, “I'm sure you have been.” There's a soft guilt underlying the formal tones to his voice, and he makes sure Link's able to keep himself up before he slips away. 

Link manages to get a hold of his surroundings, noting deep-blue skin and even brighter blue eyes peering at the both of them in the growing dim. Suzha's at the bridge, spear in hand as she looks them over somewhat warily. 

“It _is_ you, right?” she asks, head tilted to the side. “The boy's lost his pungency. He's...different, even. So you'll excuse my forwardness and my caution?” 

Sidon nods, offering the girl a sympathetic look. “We've been to the village in the mountains. It was there I had him visit the beast, and it has blessed him in turn, for reasons unknown. But we are returned, and I'm sure there are...matters, to be tended to.” 

Suzha's posture stiffens, though there's a relaxed expression upon her features as she gestures down the bridge. “There is. King Dorephan has been...less than amicable, in your absence. It'd do you well to see him and put his mind at ease.” She turns to Link, and her shoulders loosen from their rigid posture as she offers him a smile around glowing teeth. “Though it is good to see you again, human. You look well, but you smell of a festering wound it would seem requires attention.”

“You know each other?” Sidon asks, looking to Link who simply nods. 

“We do,” Suzha adds, leaning against her spear. Her teeth glimmer in the light of a curved moon, a celestial entity that seems to be much larger than the one back home. Its gentle curl caresses the stars in the sky before they're completely swallowed whole at the edges, and before long, the light is banished and the void of Ganon takes over. 

“I was his guard, the one to send him away when King Dorephan wished his presence to be gone from the domain. Luckily for him, the stench of human is so subtle I'm sure he won't be entirely noticed right away, now. Would you like for me to take him to the pool while you sort things out with your father...? I'm sure I can have Auria take a look at him once a cycle is complete in the waters.” 

Sidon seems to deflate, a heavy sigh slipping past his stretched maw. “I would be more than grateful, Suzha,” he murmurs, offering her a bow that she's quick to return. “Allow me to go first into the palace, in the hopes I might distract him for some time. Once we've talked, we can sort things out from there.” 

He turns to Link, his clawed hands wrapping around his own. It's a gesture that Link leans himself into, the chill of the night air sweeping against his fevered cheeks and offering a strange comfort that reminds him of time spent in lakes in the evening back home. The glimmer of fireflies can be seen at the edges of his vision as well, and their temporary lights flash across Sidon's skin like watercolors upon a canvas. 

Link smiles, though he hears nothing but somber words come from the poor man's mouth. 

“I promise I will see you again, my friend. I'm not about to let you embark upon this journey on your own. I already feel terrible over the fact that my short time away from your presence resulted in you nearly getting killed. I promise I will be by your side, until we can find you safely back home...” There's a tender hopefulness to his voice that suddenly makes Link's chest constrict, aching at the sheer intensity that coats his tongue like a honey. It makes Link want to speak _words,_ to have his voice heard, a feeling that claws at his heart and teases the back of his throat. It's a foreign, unwanted, strange feeling. The kind he's never felt before, until now, really. 

But Sidon's easing him down from the horse, making sure Link notices that he's connected to reality by the soles of his feet. “Thank you, Suzha,” he murmurs, a subtle hum of acknowledgment following his words. Suzha's been looking between the two with some interest, though she keeps herself quiet as she gestures to the horse. 

“Shall I have another solider lead this one back home?” 

“If you would. For now, I will take my leave.” 

Suzha nods, a bow that barely angles her body directed towards Sidon. “After the pools, we will be in the medical bay.” 

A shuffling of footsteps follows her words, and the quiet of the night embraces them before she heaves a sigh. “Well,” she says, “let's be off. You look fit to collapse. He never was one for the healing type.” 

Link laughs, a weary sound that mingles with the heavy footfalls of his stride. He feels he's going entirely too fast, but Suzha's urging him gently along, a steadying hand between his shoulders and gripping him tightly. It hurts where he's been branded, and he grimaces, but the pain's quickly becoming the one thing to keep him upright and somewhat alert. 

The domain is quiet, save for the far-off songs of creatures unknown to him, and the melody of some instrument that sounds like a harp. Though even they're terribly distant, like trying to listen to the sounds past the veil of a dreamscape. There, but not quite. It's just fuzzy static basically, and Link leans himself against Suzha's side and opts to ignore it instead. Thinking about it has his head hurting. 

“This way,” Suzha murmurs after a moment, guiding Link quickly along a road that curves against the palace's side. It leads into a space more dimly lit than the main roads, the soft blue of the stones few and far between as they scatter themselves in the shadows. The rise of the hedges that border the gardens are high, and Suzha urges him into a part in their leaves that has them back among the heavy-blossomed, swaying flowers once more. 

Nostalgia hits Link like a truck, and he takes a moment to just admire the scenery as they walk. Its soft, fresh scent of clean water and salt hangs heavy in the air, and he lets his fingertips brush over swaying leaves as he's ushered down the pathways. His feet tread the familiar dirt that gets him back to the pool, where Suzha finally allows him to take a moment to breathe. 

“You remember what you did last time, right?” she asks, her pupils narrow as she lifts Link's shirt, glancing at the mark and its angry swelling. 

Link nods, and he moves to just take his shirt off entirely. 

“Good,” is all that's muttered in response, and Suzha's helping him undress. “I'll watch over you while you sleep. For a while, at least. When I take my leave, I'll make sure Auria will be the one to find you. Hopefully by then, though, there's much less a threat of our King wanting to end your life, and...well, more the promise that he might recognize you aren't as much of a threat right now. Hopefully, anyway.” 

She laughs, turning her back towards Link to offer him his privacy. 

“Sorry for not really saying much. I just didn't want the Prince to worry. But I'm sure you remember what he asked of you back when you talked with him last. I know I do. It's because of that he's not exactly the most receptive towards you right now.” She shrugs, and her words go quiet. 

Link just focuses on undressing himself, clumsy fingers pricking at sweat-soaked cloth that's eager to cling to his skin. His hair is just as matted and just as gross, and his final thoughts as he slips into the pool are of proper showers, baths full of flowers and fruits and enriched with the scents of summer that he so dearly misses. 

It's a pleasant thought before he finally feels the comforting weight of a darkness against his eyes, at the very least. 

But unlike the last times he's felt himself sleep, there's something different about this occasion. A general sense of unease that swims in the pit of his stomach like the sharks from horror movies, glowing red eyes and thoughtless teeth that dig into the lining of his intestines. A feeling situated on the unwell, the one that forces his eyes to open and glance up at a still-dark sky. 

The flowers around the pool are the only light as he fumbles to drag himself from its depths. Ironically enough, the concentrated water seems to have a more powerful potency than the waters back at the village; for how long the feeling will last, he doesn't know, but he's more himself at the moment as he straightens himself upwards and quickly throws his clothes back onto himself. 

His feet seem to want to tug him in the direction of the palace, and considering Suzha's gone from her post, Link finds it within himself to assume it's safe to do so. For surely it must be late, and everyone must be resting. 

So he plods out into the garden, the ethereal glow of silver leaves upon blue trunks washing his path over in a gentle light that guides him back to marbled arches. Everything is dark, except for, once again, that blue glow that seems reminiscent and trademarked by the zora race as a whole. It guides him along in pathways of UFO-escent hallways, winding and twisting deeper into the palace where nary a sound could be heard. 

Link's just about ready to turn around and head back to the pool in the fear he might get lost, before something catches his ear. How he's managed to hear something so hushed, so far off is beyond him, but curiosity gets the better of him and he finds himself hurrying in its direction. 

There's two voices, whispered and fervent, going at each other back and forth in an argument that has Link immediately feeling guilty. 

“Father,” he hears Sidon start, “what happened to her was beyond our control. I cannot stay here forever, confined, and you _know_ that. There must be a day when I head out on my own-” 

“Silence,” is hissed before the sentence is finished, and there's an indignant growl before Sidon's words settle into an uncomfortable nothingness. 

“I will hear no more of this silly babble. Until that human has figured out what he must do on his own, you are to stay here, until I know it's safer for you to traverse the wilds outside of our home. I forbid it, Sidon.” 

Sidon utters a noise of pure frustration, and Link can only imagine the look upon his face. Link can only see a dim, golden glow from within the room the two are currently housed in, and he doesn't want to risk peeking into the door still standing ajar. So he sits there instead, tucked away into the darkness, images of black and red eyes glaring each other down as they continue to retaliate back and forth at each other. 

“You can't keep me here, father,” Sidon mutters, and there's a barely-restrained vengeance to his voice that has Link shuddering. “Sooner or later, I must go out to fulfill my destiny as a King one way or the other.”

“And that time is _not_ now,” Dorephan retorts, his words settling heavily in Link's ears. “I don't know what has gotten into your thick skull, but that human will have to carve out a way for himself on his own. I do not care if the beast has offered unto him a blessing, it does not concern neither you or I. You will get yourself killed, Sidon. You have a duty to your people that spans more importance than dawdling with some few pounds of walking flesh.” 

Link bites his lip, the tension rolling out to and washing over him in waves, even where he stands so far away. Sidon's quiet for a good moment, before the rise of his voice fills the empty, dark air once more. 

“I'm sorry, father,” he begins, slowly, carefully, “but once more, you cannot keep me from this. I will leave, whether you like it or not.” 

There's a sudden crack to the air like a thunder, a lightning strike that hits even Link in his core. 

“Then you are never to come back,” Dorephan says, his voice having risen to the volume of a rolling storm. “If you are truly so daft as to throw yourself away like this, then you are not deserving to take my place upon the throne! You will leave with that poor excuse of an existence, and never return. Now go, for I am done with you and yours.” 

Link can hear the sudden activity inside the room, but his hurried footsteps are rushing him back towards the garden before he can linger. The atmosphere had turned dangerous, the electricity rippling through the air and coursing down his spine, a pain alighting his very nerves and creating a chorus for his thundering heartstrings. 

The realization of what he's just listened to doesn't hit him until he reaches the pool, panting and on his knees as the words run their course through his head. 

Link was going to be the reason Sidon had to leave home. Link was going to be the reason why he could never come back. 

It's a thought that settles its roots deep into his brain, chasing the sleep away for the rest of the night he spends in the pool. Luckily for him, there's an engraved jut in the dirt that he rests himself against, allowing his body to just float in the waters as they work their magic. 

Hopefully it's the kind that doesn't work better when he's asleep, anyway. His eyes linger right at the edge of the abyss, ready to be dragged down whenever, but there's that unsettled feeling that stokes his heart into a frenzied flurry that keeps him awake anyway, long into the night when the light starts to encroach upon the darkness, and there's a soft periwinkle hue to the sky that signals the onslaught of a new morning. 

Link basks in it warily, feeling absolutely terrible. There's an awful weight behind his eyes, mingled with the feeling of incredible guilt and his self-blame. Though it's all a thought that allows itself to momentarily be banished when he hears the rustle of leaves, quite unlike that of the wind brushing against their surface and offering the rhythmical rustle of the natural outside world. 

No, the kind of shuffling he's hearing gives itself away as a shock of white skin, pink eyes wide and looking to him from underneath facial features similar to Sidon's as the familiar nurse shark girl rushes to Link and offers him an expression of sympathy. 

“Oh, Suzha really wasn't kidding when she said you looked kind of awful,” she mused, her voice soft and gentle as she immediately begins to urge Link from the pool. Link does as he's told, unwilling to argue with such fierce, sharp eyes as they look him over. _All_ of him. He feels a little awkward as he grabs his pants and hurriedly slips them on. 

“Be quiet in the palace,” Auria murmurs, grabbing Link's face and turning his head from side to side. “We haven't seen the King nor his Prince, and there's a bit of a quiet tension, at least that I've noticed. I don't know about the others, but I'd rather keep you safe then accidentally fuel a fire that could possibly be burning, yes?” 

Link nods, the best he can with his face being held so tightly. Auria finally lets him go, offering him a smile and flared gills before pushing him down the pathway. Link's grateful for the fact that someone else can tell there's something off-kilter about the situation. Walking into the palace is like walking into something _heavy,_ that inexplicable stress that chokes you at the jugular and makes your head feel light. 

Auria's own features tense as she walks him swiftly along the hallways, brighter and much less scary than they were when the night had been dark. The blue has turned almost pink, and Auria's room that she leads him into is golden and bright, the sunlight washing in and making his eyes ache. Glimmering jewels find themselves encrusted into the edges of chairs, desks, mirrors and beds, sparkling and offering something lighter to focus on as Auria guides him along to a more private area of the room. There's no other zora to be seen, but she pulls a gossamer curtain that encloses them into their own space, and she finally lets out a heavy breath as she gestures for Link to turn around. 

“Quickly, now,” she says, tugging his shirt upwards. “I am terribly sorry, though. All I know is that Suzha said to take care of you while the Prince talks with his father...and well, like I said earlier, things haven't been too great. So I just feel an urge to keep you hidden, you know?” 

She laughs, but it's such an uneasy, soft noise, that Link feels himself grow incredibly awkward, too.

“I'm sorry,” she mutters again, working with a glass bowl, something that's finally not like that _salve_ coating the inside of it. She's using some strange stick-thing to stir up a clear goo mixed with bright red herbs together, and the wonderful scent of citrus fills the air as she frantically whips it together. 

“I've personally just been so on edge. Suzha has too, and I'm glad we've at least got each other to talk to about this kind of stuff, but even so...just doing it makes me feel bad, you know?” Her lips are pouted, which gives her a strange, oddly charming sort of expression complete with a snaggle-tooth poking out at the side. “Our king is a good and kind one, but he's also just...scary. I feel like if I'm caught, he's gonna be livid with me, exile me to the wilds or something.” 

She laughs again, but Link's heart falls to the pit of his stomach. According to last night, her fears aren't unfounded. He wants to say something, but...even if he could, it's probably best he just keep his mouth shut. Spooking the poor thing even more so is the last thing he wants to do. 

“Either way,” she mutters, “this shouldn't hurt you. Hopefully.” 

There's a moment of her talons brushing against his skin, cleansing it of dirt and grime before a searing pain rakes its way down his back. He gasps and nearly topples, but Auria's catching him with an arm and a panicked noise. 

“Okay, maybe it will,” she says, patting his back before continuing on with the application of the goo. “But I have to keep going. This is some strong stuff, I'm sorry...but it will help with that fever once and for all, and get you healed. Ah, I'm sorry though, I really am...” 

Link manages to shake his head, but there's a trembling to his knees that finally lets Auria allow him to sit down. He drapes himself over a chair, and in silence, Auria finishes her job with somewhat of a mournful sigh. 

“This should help,” she says, “but be careful. I'll give you some of this stuff too, just in case, but just keep the wound cleaned and dressed and you should be fine.” There's a soft flutter of cloth brushing against his skin, and she pats him down gently as the gauze-like fabric hugs the curve of his spine. 

Link sits there, fighting the tremble in his limbs. Auria's fussing with something or another behind herself, the soft clicking of glass against glass filling the air. There's a rustle of fabric, and there's a brush of smooth skin against his as she catches his attention. 

“Here,” she murmurs, her red, almost rosy eyes peering down at him, crinkled in a smile. “This should keep you supplied for one last treatment, and an emergency later on down the road. It's pretty common, so you should be able to buy it easily out there away from here, too. Now let's get you back outside before someone comes in and sees you...” 

She helps him to his feet, weary muscles forced to move along the hallways once more. She guides him along with a swiftness in her step, the kind that makes him really wonder just how fast their race could go. Stubbier-looking legs or not, she's hightailing it out of there with Link in tow, her hand wrapped gently around his as she walks him around the front gardens. 

They're more open than the gardens inside, full of blossomed white trees and green flowers that line blue cobblestone pathways. Pools that reflect the sun back towards the sky encircle the half-enclosure, but there's no time to dawdle and look around. 

Auria's calling out to somewhere, and Link snaps his attention to focus on Suzha. 

“Suzha!” she breathes, coming to a stop before the other, panting. “We're all done, now. I suppose I leave him with you...?” 

Suzha nods, bumping her forehead against Auria's. A tender moment seems to unfold between them, and Link finds himself somewhat out of place as he looks around, anywhere else to offer them their privacy.

“I suppose I will see you tonight?” Auria asks, breaking the momentary silence. There's a hum in agreement, and the two bump against each other once more before Auria turns, offering Link the slightest of bows. 

“It was good to see you again,” she says, her smile genuine. “I hope that we may see each other sometime down the road once more. Until then, though, be careful out there, okay? And if you ever need any help, well...you know.”

She gestures to Suzha and herself, and Link nods. Auria smiles wide before taking off down the paths back towards the palace, leaving Link and Suzha alone once more. 

“The Prince has told me to get you ready at the edge of town and have you wait there. So off we go.” Suzha plucks her spear from where it rests against the side of a tree, gesturing for Link to follow. Somehow he manages to, all through the town where, wonderfully, no one seems too interested on watching him walk along. It's blissfully quiet, even, and he and Suzha find themselves at their destination before long. 

It's a spot upon a slip of marbled stone that overlooks the lake underneath them, and the makeshift waterfalls carved unto the side offer a rill that sinks into Link's muscles and eases his nerves from the inside out. His belongings are already there, propped against some railing in a neat pile. An overhang that reminds him of a gazebo's roof offers shade and protection from the sun, and Link feels himself gravitate into its shadows as Suzha offers him one final pat on the shoulder. 

“I will be just over that way,” she says, gesturing the nearest bridge in the distance. “So if you need anything, do not hesitate to find me. The Prince said he may be a while, so rest easy.” 

Link finds himself nodding, as always, and watching as Suzha walks away. Her fin is cast over her shoulder, the feathered end of it dangling at her side and catching the light like a prism. Link watches it as long as he can, before he's just staring into the distance, at the surface of sparkling water as it roars over a cliff's edge.

Link doesn't quite know how long he should sit there, waiting, but he does it anyway. 

Eventually boredom does get the best of him, and he's fussing with his bags in the hopes of finding something to do. He does find some cheese wrapped tight at the very least, some of the jerked beef he'd had the other day to go with it. He nibbles at it all slowly, thoughtful eyes cast to the water once more as he does. 

Even after finding himself there for...well, he's lost track now, but it's had to be a while. A week or two at the very least. It feels longer than that, but at the end of it all, it still feels so _unreal._ With the mark still offering a slight sting when he moves, offering evidence he is awake and not dreaming, Link finds himself still just in utter awe that he is even in something like this. 

It's like a bad dream, with the only silver lining being the giant anthropomorphic shark-man he managed to ban from his own home. Guilt wracks at the inside of his ribcage at the very thought of it all, and Link's putting the food back with a sickness to his stomach that lingers like a virus. 

Sitting there, he considers just leaving. There was enough to go on to guide him around to the rest of the strange, new world, enough information to hopefully keep himself alive. It's something that couldn't be too hard, he hopes, but it's also a thought that leaves him somewhat paralyzed with fear. 

Flashbacks to the beast that tried to kill him flood his mind, and he shudders as he involuntarily hugs himself. He can defend himself, yes, but the bottom line is the fact that he simply needs Sidon. He's a pillar of protection and support, and the one person who is offering to guide Link on his way through this world, speaking their languages and engaging himself in the customs Link has no clue where to begin with.

Link needs Sidon, for better and worse, and in more ways than one. 

A thought that's banished as he's looking towards the sky, noting a darker hue of blue as it settles itself along the wide expanse. 

It's getting late, and Link feels the smallest thread of worry twinge at his heart. But before he can grovel in the feeling too much longer, there's a voice calling gently out to him, grabbing his attention before Sidon's allowing a touch to fall upon his shoulder. 

“I am terribly sorry, my friend,” he laughs, and Link can note no hint of anything from the night before lingering in his glowing, yellow eyes. “I've been caught up in my preparations to leave, but I do believe I am finally ready. The funds for our trip have been secured, and there's much and more in my own supplies that should keep us on our feet in the days to come. Are you ready to set out? There's a small inn where we can stay on the outskirts of the domain before we make our leave on the morrow.” 

Link nods, somewhat surprised. He gets to his feet, tired hands grabbing his own bags. They're itching to ask questions that have buried themselves underneath his fingernails, making the tips of his fingers twitch in agony, a question in the back of his throat that he just wants to _scream_ aloud. 

But the most he can manage is the clearing of his throat, a soft noise that earns him a sidelong glance and a smile from his companion. 

They tread the roads in silence, before Sidon's turning Link down a pathway in the darkening dim. It twists and winds itself along to the border of the buildings, blue lights ever present and dotted along the stone's borders. They're a neon-fluorescent comfort at this point, reminding Link of his days in the Midwest where time stood still and preserved itself eternal in the aesthetic that had formed over the years. 

Walking into the inn had the air shimmering like he didn't belong there, but Sidon's ordering their room and guiding him along with all the confidence of promised partners. His touch is warm and soothing against Link's back, and he finds himself leaning into it as they settle down in their room. 

“I see Auria has taken care of this,” Sidon muses, lifting Link's shirt momentarily. Link can feel his eyes scour the length of his back, the way they drag along every marred inch that's forcing itself to conform and heal. Link can feel the pure instinct in the air as pupils blow and mouths salivate, but the fabric of his shirt is dropped and the feeling is whisked away with the stuff breeze that blows through their window. 

“There's a more accommodating bed for you, in here,” Sidon muses, gesturing to the said piece of furniture in the corner. It's white with a headboard laced like coral, thin and propped up upon an ivory stand. It looks more like a pretty decoration than it is as a suitable luxury, but Link gravitates toward it nonetheless with eagerness in his step. 

He sits down upon it and immediately flops into the pillow, a groan resonating in his chest as he takes a moment to lie there. Sleep is tempting his eyelids with the threat of tugging themselves down, but he turns, watching Sidon tuck their things away to the corner of the room instead. 

Link notes the curve of his body, the beautiful fins that hang from his limbs like chiffon fabric. Sidon's in particular are a bit tattered at the edges, worn and battle-used, marred by scars that marry the ones laced against his skin and kiss at their points. There's more upon him than even Link has noticed since before, and he wants to reach out and touch them, ask about them in his own way he knows would get across to the other. 

But Sidon's turning about, catching Link's eyes with a smile in his own. “You can rest, my friend,” he murmurs, walking over to stroke his talons through Link's hair. An unexpected gesture at most, but one Link leans into, the comfort embedding itself into his very core and taking root in the form of a blossomed warmth in his stomach. 

“I will be watching over you for some time. For now, just rest, and we will set out once the sun has been returned to us once more.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been so lazy /o\ Meant to update this sooner, but...I wholeheartedly blame a certain mmo for capturing my attention once again. 
> 
> BUT I finally got this out! And some more of my motivation back, so hopefully I can wrangle myself back into the usual installments. 
> 
> I hope everyone enjoyed the update! And thank you all, seriously, for your patience. <3


	11. New Beginnings

Sidon is normally kind, when it comes to Link's sleeping habits, but this time around he is shaking Link awake before the sun's breached the horizon, where the sky is still grey and the air is cold and blue. Link shivers as he sits up, hugging himself tight with a somewhat disgruntled expression as he blinks the sleep away from his tired eyes and looks around. 

Their things are packed and neatly situated in the corner, and it's just Sidon who's there, waking him up with tender, teeth-shrouded smiles. “Let us be off, my friend.” 

And the cold lingers, against Link's skin, against Sidon's in beaded moisture as they delve their way into the trees again. Suzha had bidden them their farewells, a knowing glint in her eye that she, too, might not see her prince for some time. No words over the matter were exchanged, though, instead replaced with casual good-byes and silence as she saw them off. 

Sidon's unusually chipper, for lack of a better word. He doesn't seem bothered, humming softly to himself instead as they walk. His fancy garb seems to have been replaced; where ornate jewels and precious metals once hung are the simple laces of golden materials instead, hugging the curve of his neck and the dips of his wrists and ankles. There's a glow to his wrists that Link's curious about, but grabbing his hand and waving it around wasn't quite on his agenda. Not yet, anyway. 

“I think this time around we will buy ourselves a horse,” Sidon muses, thoughtful, as they walk along the path toward the stables. The leaves rustle in the winds overhead, winds smelling of rain and carrying a humid depth to their waves that still manage to make him shiver. If they're due for another storm, Link doesn't quite know if he wants to be out in it, after what he's seen from last time.

“Horses are best used for the trails to the Rito villages. Your steed must stay at the foot of their mountains, I'm afraid, but the settlements there have lavish enough accommodations that we could safely keep it there. Maybe two horses, actually, if we can find one appropriate for me...” Sidon sighs, and Link's mind is filled with the images of the kelpie he remembers from their first time around at the stables. 

...But that seems like a dangerous inclination, especially considering how afraid Sidon seemed of the creature. So Link keeps his thoughts to himself, hands in front of him and rubbing at his arms as they walk. 

The trees thin, and Link's met with the meadow. It's as big as it had been the first time, though he notices the flanks of horses, in shades of browns, whites, greys, blacks...even blue, all grouped together and grazing at the long stalks of grass. They don't pay the two any mind as they walk past them, towards the structure at the side of the road, glowing and golden in the day's lingering colorless light. 

“You may look at what they have to offer while I talk prices,” Sidon says, stopping Link in the road and gesturing to the stable's side, where yet more of the creatures idle about. Link nods, watching Sidon walk away before he wanders over to them. He drops the bag he's been carrying against a post, sighing heavily as the weight finally leaves his sore shoulders. The sting, the _ache_ in his back has finally subsided, but there's still a strain that wears him out and renders him exhausted. 

Rubbing at his shoulder, Link comes to a halt in front of a mare. Her coat is a rich chestnut, almost red with a mane a color that's nearly the shade of his own hair. He reaches out to pet the side of her neck, smiling softly as he looks her over.

She's rather excited about the fact that he's near her, but her mannerisms are something he's ignoring for the moment as he notices spikes in her mane, running along the curve of her neck. They run along her back, down into her tail, and they grace the back of her feathered legs. The same, bone-like material seems to swirl patterns against her fur along her flanks, her face, her shoulders, and her eyes...

Suddenly Link's mouth is agape, and the horse is pushing her way almost forcibly into his arms. The colors of her fur, her mane, her _eyes_ all give away the fact that he's found _Epona._

But there's a confusion, an urge to really make sure it's _her._ Unless it really is, it could just be a horse that's overly excited he's spending time with her, but he dips low, patting her belly and checking her opposite flank. 

It takes some time to root about, but he finds the one thing he's been looking for: a scar that she accidentally gave herself while out on a ride in the fields back home. She had rubbed up against a fence, slashing her skin in a wound that wasn't terribly life-threatening, but something that had left with her a scar nonetheless. 

Link strokes it, eyes wide, questions flying through his mind a mile a second. 

How? What? When and where and _why_ was his horse here? 

Link stepped back, looking her over in dumbfounded awe. Epona tosses her head, snorting and making quite the racket, but it's something he doesn't care to quiet. He shifts forward, hugging her tight in his arms, leaning heavily against her with the pricks of tears in his eyes. 

There's a shuffling behind him, and Sidon's voice peaks over the snorting and whinnying of the excited creature underneath himself. Link pulls back, a wide smile on his lips as he gestures frantically to the horse. 

_This one,_ he tries to plead, mouthing his desperate intentions. _Please, this one. We need her._

Epona fills the silence with another soft snort, pushing her nose underneath Link's arm, peering curiously up at Sidon. Sidon's thoughtful, quiet, as he looks the two over. 

“She came all this way for you,” he finally says, crossing his arms and sending Link's thoughts into a halt. “So this was your creature...? While unheard of, I suppose it isn't entirely impossible. A lot of your creatures from your world cross over and make their own species here, and vice versa. I'm just amazed...” 

His voice is a soft murmur, talons just as gentle as he strokes Epona's nose. “Her name is Epona, yes?” 

Link nods, still trying to desperately wrap his mind around the fact that Sidon can, you know, talk to horses. 

“It's a shame she can't tell me your name,” Sidon sighs, though he's smiling as he rolls a small bag about in his talons. “Either way, congratulations on finding your old friend, my friend. I assure you, we will be taking her along with us. Perhaps with Eponine...the two seem to be destined for each other, no?” 

He laughs, turning to leave Link alone with his horse. Epona snorts, pressing herself against Link's shoulder. She's bigger than Link remembers her to be, but he hugs her against himself nonetheless, trembling fingers running through her mane, breathing deep of her familiar scent that, thankfully, hasn't worn away from her coat. 

It's an oddly grounding experience, something to help make this crazy situation seem a little more real, a little more bearable. Link takes a deep breath and pulls back, his smile still plastered against his expression as he looks Epona over some more. She's whole and healthy, her muscles rippling underneath her skin and showing off a prowess that only seems to have grown from being in this strange, crazy world. Something they could probably use while out here, and he laughs quietly as he moves to play with her mane. 

Sidon's back not even five minutes later, maw stretched wide and exultant. “They are ours to keep, my friend,” he purrs, gesturing to Eponine, who's been grazing in the back pasture while Link and Epona have their moment. “Lucky for us, Eponine is an older girl they've been working to replace. She will still do us well upon the roads, though. _Your_ friend took a little more convincing, but I'm proud to say I was the one to prevail in the end.” 

He wraps an arm around Link's shoulder, hugging him with a gentle squeeze. “We will get these two fitted later. For now, I'd quite like to mark our destination, and map out a route to get there.” 

Link's not terribly fond of the idea of leaving Epona behind, but he nods anyway, keeping close to Sidon's side. The day still carries a shiver about its unending breeze, and Sidon's warmth is a comforting presence against his skin. 

It parts from Link's space once inside, instead to be replaced with thoughtful distance as Sidon pulls a map from one of their bags. He lays it out against the surface of an old, worn table, scooting a candle closer to the page and peering at its contents thoughtfully. 

Link looks too, noting curved letters in a language he can't quite understand. He can't quite understand any of the map's contents, really, the longer he looks them over. It's written and drawn like those old things he's seen in textbooks, and the layout is a jarring, drastic difference from what he's used to seeing. 

It's all a single, large landscape. There's obvious borders in the forms of naturally-occurring land formations, and Link can very clearly see a more mountainous region towards the west, where he assumes they're going. Towns seem to be marked on the map, the biggest ones all near the edges of their maybe-borders. In the center of the map, and of the towns, is a dark green spectacle, something Link assumes to be a forest. 

Sidon's tracing a path around its edge, though, a trail that hovers over the sandy-colored desert underneath them. Or well, maybe not quite desert yet, but it seems to be there. Link finds himself decidedly less excited about that prospect. 

“We've carved out routes that are more or less used by everyone to get from one place to the other. While fewer, they are safer for us to traverse, skirting around what used to be safer territories that are now...well, not quite as safe to wander near. They're communal, though, and we should at the very least meet all sorts of people who might be able to help us out. Being a prince will have its advantages, but some are not all too likely to just take my word in things.” He chuckles, tapping the point of what Link assumes to be the Rito's domain. 

“It shouldn't take us long to get there. A few cycles of the sun, at most. Given we have enough supplies, I'm sure we'll be just fine. Though...making sure we end our nights at an inn would be best, since I can feel the swell of Ganon's power, and it will surely be soon we'll see it surface. I don't want a repeat of your second night.” 

He offers Link a sympathetic smile. One Link tries to return, but the nervousness lingers against his teeth as he rubs sheepishly at the back of his neck. 

“Fortunately for us, though,” Sidon continues, “the roads are flush with stables and inns of all sorts. We will be fine. I promise this to you, my friend.” His hand brushes against the side of Link's neck, a talon dipping in underneath his jaw, tracing the bone to the back of his ear. 

Link gazes up into his eyes, finding himself easily lost in a warmth like honey. Link reaches up, his own fingers resting against the back of Sidon's hand and moving to hold it there, leaning his head into the flat of Sidon's palm. 

The moment's over all too soon as Sidon tugs at his ear before pulling back, gesturing to the back of the inn's room. “By the way, I've been told there's baths, if you'd like to use one. We can afford to spend some time here before we must head out. It'd be wise to clean and redress your wound as well.” 

Link nods in agreement, touching his ear and rubbing at it curiously. It feels different, almost, but there isn't much motivation within himself to focus on it. He looks to Sidon instead, gestures to himself, to where he assumes the washroom is, and...shrugs. 

Sidon laughs, offering him a bow of the head. “I will be here. Take your time.” He sits himself down at a chair next to the table, hilariously large compared to it. Link snickers, watching as the poor thing bends himself over the map, engrossed with the swirling ink upon its surface, unaware of Link's amusement. 

So Link leaves him be, walking quickly to (and praying it was the right one) the door to the restrooms. Cracking it open and offering the interior a quick glance, the steam within the room tells him it's the right place to be. It's a wide, open area, stalled off by wooden partitions to offer privacy where needed. There's mirrors upon the walls, and he takes a moment to stop in front of one, to look himself over... 

And he visibly flinches. He's gross. Battered and worn, sure, but his hair's grimy and sticking up in awkward places, his complexion's off...

He shakes his head, hurrying into an empty stall. The contraptions that make up the strange baths are hard to handle at first, but there's a moment of fiddling that finally gets Link his reward in splashing water from some kind of spout. He watches in wonder, eyes wide and unblinking, his mind moving to dissociate. There's a whirling noise he can hear behind the rush of water, and it stops the moment the water rises to a specific level within the tub. 

Link blinks, dragging himself back down into his body. Thankfully the water had stopped on its own; he'd been completely engrossed with just sitting there, listening to the rill. 

Either way, he's sick of water at this point. Bathing himself is a necessity, yes, but he finds himself moving quickly about in the tub, scrubbing himself with offered soaps sitting at the corner of his stall that smell like fresh linens. It's a pleasant scent, one he allows himself to be covered in, running the suds through his hair and against his face as he quickly rids himself of the otherworldly grime. It leaves the water a bit of a nasty shade, and Link grimaces as he pulls the plug from the drain. 

Towels as soft as clouds are stacked in the corner upon shelves nearly too tall for him, but outstretched, wavering fingers manage to win in the end as a cascade of the cloth falls upon his head. He takes advantage of the three towels he's tugged upon himself, wrapping himself up in their fresh depths and taking yet another moment to breathe, to stand there, to ground himself in the situation. 

There's a feeling against the back of his ribs that nags at the fact that there's something wrong. Something not quite right stacked upon the myriad other problems the two already bear upon their shoulders. It's an unpleasant feeling, a festering tumor that reminds him of the feeling of static in the air, when the first demon had arisen and attacked him some nights before. 

The image of flashing white teeth and a strong odor reminiscent of sludge fill his mind's eye, his lungs, and he flinches. Perhaps it's just a paranoia speaking, filling him with unsettling images to keep him on his toes, but it's a feeling that lingers against his will as he moves to quickly dress himself. 

The feeling of unease is gone almost as soon as it hits. Sidon's gone from his table, filling Link instead with a momentary panic as he whisks his hair into a light plait. His feet carry him to the front of the stable, towards the subtle scents of wet earth and content horses. A steady drizzle seems to have started while he was inside, and the gentle patter of drops against the cloth roof of the building fill him with a rather sudden nostalgia for home. 

Another feeling he willfully pushes to the side, searching a little more intently for a familiar flash of red. He finally spots it towards an overhang that protrudes from the building's side, shielding Sidon and their horses from the weather. 

“There you are, my friend!” he calls out, gesturing to Link with one hand while the other strokes Epona's mane. “We've been having ourselves a nice chat. Epona here has been telling me of your home, and how worried she was when you vanished. She says she feels bad for jumping the fence and leaving home, too, but she was worried.” 

Gentle talons brush through Epona's mane, carding the hairs and easing out the tangles. Epona snorts, leaning into the touch and stilling. Link finds himself doing the same thing, watching with some curiosity as Sidon crosses his arms, humming lowly as he looks between the three of them. 

“Eponine proved a little challenging for me. My legs aren't built quite like yours, and I'm rather heavy and not as agile. So I've forgone her for now, until we can find another suitable steed. It means we won't be moving as fast as I'd like, but I don't think it will be much of an issue once we finally get out there.”

Link nods, somewhat guilty as he moves to adjust Epona's saddle. She always had a particular way she liked to wear it, and he's careful as he moves the buckle just so, fusses with the blanket so he knows it won't get bunched up over a ride. Epona makes a small, soft noise, leaning Link's way instead as Sidon moves to go over their bags. 

“And I think we're finally ready to move,” Sidon muses after a beat, hand on his hip as he looks to Link. “Are you ready, my friend? You'll get to see so much more. While dangerous, it should be rather exciting.” 

Link nods, his heart somewhat aflutter as he heaves himself onto Epona's back. It feels just like home, helping to ease the strain that threatens to pull him back towards the earth. Epona's mannerisms give him something else to focus on, and her new spikes are wonderfully distracting, too. Thankfully they don't seem to hurt her when he touches them. 

After all is said and done, Sidon takes Epona by the reins and gently begins to guide her along. It is only then, in that moment, that Link realizes he's forgotten to do anything else about the mark upon his back, but...well, it isn't aching, so therefore he must be all right. Right? 

Time passes as Epona moves them along, and Link's found himself entranced by the changing scenery. The domain really did seem to have been completely settled away in the heart of the mountain, housing its own reservoir and all. Outside is nothing more than pined wilderness, the occasional cry of something wild echoing through the trees. All enough to be familiar, yet there is more within the trees and plants that grabs Link's attention. The glowing, coral-like bushes seems to be a native plant to this area, dotted here and there along the paths and offering an ethereal glow to the shadows. 

Link keeps his eyes on the leaves, past their depths into the deeper parts of the forests. Occasionally he sees something run through the underbrush, something fox-like, something deer-like, something with six legs and three tails and the cry of a howler. It looks Link in the eye and he shivers, snapping his gaze forward, to the heavy boughs overhead. 

The birds there are more interesting to look at, at the very least. They cry out in beeps, in revs and screams, their jeweled feathers flashing in the dim sunlight that occasionally breaks the rain. It paints a rainbow against the far end of the sky, where the clouds gather in darker masses, and Link feels the oncoming storm within their depths. 

Sidon seems equally keen on keeping them moving, something Epona is excited to give back in full-speed. They're moving along the path rather quickly, on until the day is late and the gathered clouds are finally overhead; but there's an inn at the base of the mountain, tucked into granite slabs and protected by natural overhangs of stone. 

They find themselves underneath their protective slabs just as soon as the thunder stirs and the lightning flashes, and Link is witness to a flinch that's entirely visible on Sidon's face in the purple lights. 

“Let's head inside,” he laughs, nervously, his blown pupils locked on the sky overhead. Link follows his gaze just in time to see another streak of light break the clouds, and he can feel Sidon flinch beside him at the time. Link looks back to him, gently reaching out to tap the rounded front of his head. 

It distracts Sidon just long enough to get them inside the barn, where other horses are settled in for their night of rest. Epona treks her way into an empty stall, one next to the selfsame kelpie Link remembers from earlier. 

Link locks eyes with its many, feeling a cold rush of water trickle down his back. It's an eerie, ice-cold feeling, one that locks him in place as the tides of the ocean play at the edges of his brain. Murky, abyssal depths are all he can see, the heavy, weighty caress of the water against his shoulders. He swears he can hear a voice, soft and effeminate, calling out to his very heart... 

Sidon taps him on the back of his neck, a crash of thunder to accentuate the motion. It rips Link from his stupor, and the look on poor Sidon's face has him hurrying to fetch his things and move into the main building of the inn. 

“I should have you know tonight is a blood moon,” Sidon sighs once safely inside, but there's a lingering tension in his shoulders that keeps them stiff as boards. Link tries to rub at one, but Sidon's just...well, he's _tall._

“If you must go out tonight, though, just take care. And please, tell me if you do.” Sidon looks to Link, almost pleading. Link can't help but nod, his ears catching the soft noises of what seems to be an accordion. Once Sidon seems satisfied and has moved off to take care of their room, Link turns to follow the noise to its source, and finds himself gazing upon what he can only assume to be one of those Rito. 

It's a tall creature (but he has to be real with himself, _everything_ seems to be much taller than him), with feathers a magnificent hue of blue, sparkling almost turquoise underneath the golden lights. Link had never been well-versed in the ways, the customs of Indian tribes, but the aesthetic around the Rito's clothes seems to closely resemble what he remembers seeing in textbooks and museums. 

It's a fascinating thing, and the Rito catches his eye with a soft smile tugging at the corners of his...beak. Link smiles in return, though, suddenly bashful as Sidon approaches his side. 

“Let us be off to our room, friend,” he urges, the sudden roar of heavy rain smacking the stones outside. There's a slight tremble to Sidon's talons, and Link finds it best to just get the man somewhere he can safely relax. 

Luckily for them, their room seems to cut much of the noise to a gentle minimum. The sound of rain hitting wood and stone can still be heard, but it's not as terrible as it was out in the main foyer. It's easy to forget about once they have their things dropped and settled, and Link notices...

A single bed in the middle of the room. 

It's a rather large bed, large enough to accommodate even Sidon, but it still has him worrying somewhat as he points to it curiously. 

“Oh!” Sidon exclaims, clapping his hands together, visibly fighting the urge to jump as another rumble of thunder rolls across the land. “It's all they had. But it's a large bed, and I'm sure we'll be just fine. Unless you like your space...? Then by all means, I can take the floor.” 

He smiles, but Link's shaking his head. That's the last thing he wants, not after all of Sidon's kindess and hospitality. He could still leave Link to be on his own any time, but still he remains, at his side and offering what he can to keep the both of them comfortable. 

It's a welcoming thing. 

Together they set about placing their belongings here and there, and Sidon settles upon the bed with their rations: two things wrapped in the usual cloth, little pastries that resemble meat pies at first glance. Once delved into there's a noticeable amount of both meat and fish, with the inside of the dough lined in something green that has him thinking of the seaweed-stuff wrapped around sushi. One cautious bite later still has sushi on his mind, but he eats it thoughtfully and without complaint. He's just happy to see Sidon eating it, too. 

“You've probably learned for yourself already, but,” Sidon starts, dusting his talons off to the side, “it's not safe to wander anywhere in the night, in this world. Even when the blood moon has waned for the time being, there are still countless dangers that are waiting in every bush, high in every tree, around every turn... Just in case we find ourselves parted, always make sure you're within the lights.” 

He smiles, and it's soft, sincere, masking a pain that mingles with the lingering feeling in Link's abdomen. It makes him reach out to Sidon, wrapping his fingers gently around those talons that could so easily tear into his guts, paint a picture with his blood and stain his pearly-whites with a satisfying meal. 

But he doesn't. Sidon wraps those talons ever-so-gently around Link's fingers, holding them within the depths of his hand. 

“I don't like to think about having to be parted from your side, truth be told. There's something about you that tells me to keep near, to do what I can to ensure your safety. But alas, there's just so much that could slip through my talons and yours, and we could find ourselves without the other, easily.” Sidon's voice is somewhat somber, and Link does his best to offer him a smile, a soothing coo from parted lips. 

They sit like that together, eyes locked, their food forgotten between them upon the bed. It's only once the thunder cracks again and wretches Sidon from his stupor that they break gazes and lean away, Link's eyes falling upon the fireplace in the room. 

He shoves the rest of his food into his mouth, slipping from the bed that's too tall to focus upon the unlit logs and charcoal instead. With some fiddling with the flint they've kept near, and the knife Sidon had brought along, there's a soft, golden glow and the lull of a crackle filling the room with the sounds of wood splitting and burning. 

Link sighs, carrying himself back towards the bed where Sidon has preoccupied himself with the map once more. 

“About two more days of travel, and we should be there,” he's musing, a hum to his tone, an acuteness to his eyes as he's surely looking the same things over and over again. The patter of heavy rain is unyielding, spelling out the reasons for a distraction. 

So Link returns to their bags, fiddling for something he knew he saw earlier: a journal. He finds it at the very bottom of one of Sidon's bags, complete with something like a quill pen (minus the feather, anyway) and a jar of ink. He's somewhat awkward as he fiddles with everything, but he carries it over to Sidon with a questioning look in his eyes. 

Sidon catches it, looks to what Link's holding, and nods. 

“You are welcome to, my friend.” He nods, moving to look back towards the map, but Link reaches out to quickly catch his chin, shaking his head as he gestures towards the journal. 

His curiosity obviously piqued, Sidon puts the map away, scooting closer to Link's side and watching with interest as he parts the pages to the journal. It's a heavy leather-bound thing, with paper tinted green at the edges and obviously handmade. Link quickly pops the cork to the jar of ink and dips the quill into its depths, pleased to see the ink itself is a deep, royal blue. 

He sets the tip off upon its journey across the pages, stroking lines that add the details to silly little pictures. Link had some talent in this area of things, and like always, he sets about to sketching a landscape near home. 

Sidon watches with pupils blown, eyes the size of saucers with a curiously-tilted head. He doesn't say much, aside from the occasional compliment, or question about what that bird was, what that rabbit was, and _horses really look like that over there?_

Soft comments made, just barely audible over the rain. Link tries to write for him, but once the conclusion comes forth that Sidon doens't understand the peculiar words, Link lets it go for the moment. So instead he draws the meadow outside of the forest back home, where most of this began. 

Sidon presses close, the tip of his fins brushing occasionally against Link's shoulder. He still carries the scent of a babbling brook, light and refreshing and just as sparkling as Sidon's personality; but for the moment everything is quiet, Sidon focused instead on Link's hands, his drawings, and pointedly ignoring the sounds outside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had something much more worse in mind for poor Epona...but thank the beta for dissuading me lolol She's here now though! 
> 
> And sorry for such a late update! I keep telling myself I'm gonna get back on these spirited uploads, but then my mental health decides to tackle me to the ground by the throat. So hopefully that mindset passes soon LOL I've got such exciting things I need to get to!! D: 
> 
> But thank you all so, SO much for continuing to read and support me through this! I cannot even begin to describe what it means to me. I hope y'all have a wonderful week/month, and for those of ya starting any classes, here's to a smooth start. C: ♥


	12. Foreboding

Sharing the bed wasn't as awkward as Link had anticipated it to be. If anything, it was nice. The bed itself was plush, with cushions full of feathers that cradled his weary head and kept his neck in line. There was definitely enough room for the both of them, but Sidon's weight had the bed dipping on his side, and Link found himself rolling into it just when sleep began to play at the edge of his mind and drag him down. He fought it, at first; but after finally slipping off and catching himself in a doze, pressed against Sidon's back, his addled mind just let it be. 

Link didn't notice just how clingy his sleep-self seemed to be, though. He'd forgotten all about the cushions he was used to sleeping with back home, but apparently his body hadn't as it wrapped itself around Sidon's back and effectively made him the big spoon. Link wakes up with an arm wrapped around Sidon's neck, his nose pressed behind a fin, Sidon's tail draped over him and curled around his middle. 

Link blinks hard, willing himself to wake up, but there's a warmth that keeps dragging him down back into slumber. Images of dreams flash before his eyes, of creatures slithering in the dark, of rippling grass in images of his old home, of Sidon's teeth sinking into his flesh. 

The last image has him jolting awake, a nervous fluttering playing at his heart as he finally pulls away and sits up. Sidon's undisturbed, barely acknowledging Link's movement. It's for the best as Link slides from the bed, rubbing at still-tired eyes before tugging his boots onto cold feet.

The foyer doesn't reveal much to Link aside from the fact that it seems to be early morning. It's not storming any longer, and he pushes past the door to wander outside, to get some fresh air and relieve himself. The sun plays at the peaks of silver mountains, their towering points glimmering in early morning light that dapples the sky in soft, gentle shades of orange and pink. There's a definite warmth to the air that promises a heavy weight from the evaporating rainwater left over on the ground, but it's a kind of weather Link knows Sidon will be excited about. 

By the time Link finds himself back at the inn, the temperature has risen to an intensity that leaves sweat beading at the back of his neck, rolling down his skin and along his spine. There's another tingly feeling there, like pins walking themselves along his nerve endings, but it's a subtle enough itch that it's easy to ignore for now. 

The rito from the night before is back, fussing with some bag or another upon a table, humming a soft song to himself that Link can hear from where he's standing on the other side of the room. It's a gentle lull, a rhythm that reminds Link of a lullaby. He wants to ask about it, considering the other rito is about the second-most gentle thing he's seen in this world, but general anxieties keep him in place as he wanders instead back to his room. 

Sidon, for once, out of the two, is still asleep. Link gazes down upon him with sympathy, fingertips running along the subtle ridge of the tail that adorns the back of his head. Little features in the form of ridged bumps show themselves to him like this, where more light plays over the deepened ruby of Sidon's skin and allows Link to notice things he doesn't really have a chance to look at otherwise. 

Touching specific ridges seems to make Sidon's gills flare, and after a moment, Link brings his hands back to himself somewhat nervously. He's breaching some kind of trust, he is sure, and he knows to treat Sidon with more respect than sneaking pets when he's asleep. Still, his skin is so soft, so fascinating to feel underneath his fingertips, that Link still finds himself tempted, even after he scoots away to sit on his own side of the bed. 

He finds himself wondering if he should wake Sidon up instead, so they can get moving. But Sidon's so content, so _tired,_ surely from having such a rough night of attempting sleep through that storm. Link doesn't know how he managed to sleep through it, but it must have been worse for his poor companion. It leaves him wondering if he has better hearing than Link, maybe, or...enhanced senses in other areas. 

Link thinks long and hard on what he can remember about sharks. Sure, he was hoping to become his own sort of veterinarian back home, having trained hard for it and all that, but marine biology was another thing entirely, and he never, ever got to work with sharks. His mind leaves him somewhat blank on the topic, aside from the fact that they've been around for hundreds of years. Maybe that's why Sidon seemed to be able to live for so long. 

But Link's already forgotten how old the guy even is. 

He sighs, rubbing at his nose in frustration. Finding a way to communicate effectively is well on the agenda of their things to do. But...

Link's eyes are dragged back towards the sleeping form behind himself. Despite lack of words, the lack of some way to let another know his will, there is still _something_ between them. 

Something more, something indescribable. A swell had risen between them, an understanding that not many could achieve back home. Link had no need for words for Sidon, and Sidon was willing to accept this fact, a promise forged of silence and trembling eyes, quiet promises communicated effectively through touch. He was willing to capture the moments and hold them dear, near, and examine them for what they were worth. 

Words are not needed between them. Yet...Link still wants to give him his name, of all things. 

He can remember his grandmother's stories, the kind of the forbidden forests and their peoples within. How they'd take your name from your throat and change it, bid you forget it, so you may live a life underneath another guise and become one with them in their home. To eat of the fruits of the fae and be unable to leave, to never return and give yourself whole unto the others that may own your soul. 

It left Link's fingertips cold, numbed. 

A terrifying prospect, but an exciting one that called out to him nonetheless. Called out to him in hues of red, tantalizing strokes of talons that could tear him apart, in shades of pearlescent-whites with matching black abysses that wanted to swallow him utterly whole. 

It was a tempting siren's call, one that has him sucking a sharp breath between his teeth as Sidon stirs upon the sheets. 

Link watches like a deer frozen in the headlights as Sidon rolls over, the weighted length of his tail resting where neck meets shoulder. Sidon seems unwilling to rise and meet their day, and it has Link tilting his head, his flurry of emotion settling into concern and confusion over what to do. Sidon has been the one holding the reins, and Link is loath to admit he hasn't a single clue where to even start on his own. 

But Sidon's eyes are blinking open, revealing the fact he has not one set of eyelids, but two, rather. Link watches as the glossy membranes slide over yellow orbs, watching as they, too, come from the realm of the back of his head and show lazy pupils adjusting to the light. 

...It was rather gross to watch, but Link smiles nonetheless as he greets Sidon with a bow of his head. 

“My goodness,” he mutters, dragging himself from the white sheets. Link watches as Sidon stretches his arms high above his head, muscles rippling underneath his skin, the sinewy texture of tendons unknown rolling like waves where red turns to white. 

“I do apologize, my friend,” Sidon laughs, bringing his arms back down to cover himself all too soon. “Sleep had been something of a distant mystery for me last night. I trust you slept well, at least...?” 

Link nods, a sheepish gaze turned instead towards his hands. He's acting like there's something there grabbing his attention at the moment instead, a cuticle poking from his nail bed that he needs to chew at. He can feel Sidon slip from the bed as he does, and Link can feel the oppressive atmosphere of self-inflicted worries and anxieties slip from his chest. 

Until Sidon turns to face him again, the softest of smiles playing at his mouth. 

“I must admit, I've never slept with anyone like that before. Is that normal for your kind? Pressing close, sharing warmth and embraces like that in such a moment so vulnerable?” 

Link's heart hits the floor, and it thuds back up against the front of his throat. He must look as terrified as he feels, because Sidon's laughing, the kind of noise that tosses his head back and has him waving a hand quickly in front of himself. 

“It's no worry, my friend! It was quite nice. I was afraid to disturb you, so I let you be. Before I knew it, you were simply hugging me in an embrace so kind and tight that in the end, I just couldn't bring myself to stop it at all. You have nothing to worry about. If anything, it helped me sleep better in the end, so I thank you.” 

Sidon finishes his words with a bow. A _bow._ A languid motion that tosses his tail back over his shoulder like someone would toss a plait of hair. In the morning light, there's an almost-violet trail of iridescent color that mingles with the red, and Link stares some more, before Sidon's pulling back up and excusing himself. 

Normally, Link would be able to let things go. It was a simple, honest mishap, cuddling with the shark-man from a world even his wildest dreams couldn't conjure. He should be able to just brush it off and go on about his day, about their journey, but there was...there is something more in the tangibility of their relationship now, something shifting that he can feel brushing against the underside of his breastbone. 

It lingers as they get ready for their day. Link's chest feels tight, but he chalks it up to the humidity in the air, the heat of the sun that's glaring down upon them with brightened intensity. 

“I'm sure the mountains will shield us from this for most of our journey today,” Sidon muses, a hand resting upon Epona's flank as Link eases her along the trail. “It will be a rather lackluster trip through the peaks, I'm afraid, though I'm sure I can help pass the time with stories—or information, rather, if you're ever curious.” 

Link is, and he uses the excuse to catch Sidon's attention by a gentle stroke to the side of his face. Sidon locks eyes with him, and it's in that moment Link's glad Epona is mostly the one guiding them along. There's a good moment of simple gazing, of cerulean meeting gold and creating something verdant between them. 

“I, uh,” Sidon starts, and Link's just secretly glad to see he's not the only one with a wavering composure. “I um, I can tell you of the rito and their homeland, yes? There's much and more to them as a race, and the ones who live with them at the base of the mountains.” 

Link nods, flitting uncertainty giving way to curiosity. 

Sidon nods with him, clearing his throat, watching his footsteps and making sure they keep up with Link's side. 

“I do believe I've mentioned this before, but most of their customs center around singing. They're much more secluded, having honed their own prowess in the protection of the skies and their own isolation; but they're one of the few races that has shared a domain with another. The other race lives in the waters at the base of the mountains, in the rivers that bleed into the icy coasts further west.”

Sidon takes a deep breath, shoulders straightened to adopt the stance Link is more used to seeing upon his frame. “They're called selkies. They live underneath the waters, mostly in the oceans. Every so often they will come inland to trade and gather information, to peddle their wares and share the occasional spot of company with another. I've never seen them before, truth be told, so this will be a new experience for the both of us, yes?” 

Link hums something in agreement, still finding himself caught in a wonder over how their descriptions of things back home are so similar to the actual people of this world. It has him wondering just what exactly went on behind the veil, how many people had come here and managed to find a way back home. Granted, these were all myths and legends of days old, but even then, this supposed Ganon hadn't appeared until just recently. So the probability of something like that isn't too far-fetched... 

It has Link mulling things over in silence for a bit, occasionally dipping from Epona's back to walk with Sidon instead. Sidon tries his hand at mounting her, and while it takes some patience and careful guidance, he manages in the end to take a small break from their walking. Epona at first doesn't seem quite keen on the whole thing, but Link's assured as he watches Sidon soothe her with little clicks of his tongue, little gentle gestures that seem to put her at ease. He wonders what she's saying, but Sidon doesn't divulge the information. 

Instead, both of their attentions are focused upon the road, and how...dwindling, it seems to be. There's still the lush atmosphere of a lingering forest about the stones, yet the peaks rise higher than the trees, giving way to nothing more than rock faces covered in grass, stalks as tall as Link that wave free in the winds that whip about them. There's a fresh scent to the air, the aftermath of tumultuous rains mixed with sunshine, and it settles down like a stiff swimming pool that leaves them both exhausted. 

Link's just glad there's _multiple_ waterskins. Sidon doesn't seem to need to drink as much as Link does, but he finds himself going through quite a bit of it before their day's journey is even halfway over. 

“There should be a spring up ahead,” Sidon notes, climbing down from Epona's back to allow Link his turn astride her. “We can stop there for a moment to cool off and restock our supplies. I think a spot of eating should be in store for us, as well.” 

The sun's passed its peak in the sky, at least, but Link's shirt still clings to his skin and leaves him feeling gross. What he wouldn't give for a regular shower at the end of this day, too... Maybe at the next inn, he'll get lucky again. For the moment, he focuses on fanning himself with a hand, his eyes still wandering their surroundings. For a mountain, the path is subtle on its way down, revealing cliffs to their sides and, eventually, a river that begins to roar next to them as their companion. The trees grow more sparse, and the plant life adopts a look about it that reminds him more of home, than the strange, almost underwater look and feel of the Zora's domain. 

Sidon's word is true as they come up to a wider path, one that branches off towards the side. Sidon leads them into it, a narrow path that soon spreads out into a circular clearing, shaded and protected by the subtly-glowing branches of a tree that resembles a weeping willow. Its roots thread themselves among the stones, cracking open a spot in the ground big enough for a trickle of water to splash into a pool at the base of the tree. It sparkles in dappled sunlight, droplets like diamonds flying from the fountain and out into the air, leaving behind the faintest trail of a rainbow softly suspended in the air. 

Link slips from Epona's back, lips parted and agape in wonder. Flowers hang from the tree, housing insects the size of his palm. _That_ does him in a little, their first impression reminding him of wasps. They're little red things, shining like rubies as they delve deeper into the petals, a faint hum resonating from within the blossom's depths. 

Link decides he wants to ignore those for now. 

Instead he sidles up close to the pond's edge, gazing into it curiously. It ripples and plays at the dirt's edge, where tiny little yellow flowers adorn the edge like a soft lace. There's nothing in the water itself, aside from rounded stones that remind him of jade. While he fills his waterskin he grabs one, rubbing his thumb along the smooth surface, guiding it underneath a fleck of sunlight to get a better look at it. 

It's like an opal in the light, deep inside its depths a darker blue. It almost seems to swirl, like glitter in water, and there's a comfort to its weight in his hand that has him deciding he'll keep it. He presses it gently in his pocket with his flower from the market, and he soon meets Sidon's expectant gaze with a nod, and they carry on. 

Link's surprised to see the scenery flatten out as much as it does. There's still the rise of the mountains around them and their accompanied river, but the terrain is more stable, full of worn dirt roads and less pebbles and gravel for Epona to tread warily on. Instead she's more confident, her hooves hitting the ground rhythmically, accompanied by the occasional toss of her head and content snort from her nose. 

“Our next stop is right down this road,” Sidon says, a weariness to his voice, a gratefulness that Link can feel in his own bones. “As usual, we'll spend our night there. I'm glad we got to it so quickly, considering our late start.” 

He gestures high overhead, grabbing Link's attention and forcing him to look up as well. The blue of the sky is deeper than it was before, and the sun's aura settles along the far horizon, hidden beneath the peaks behind them. The shadows they cast are long before them, and the occasional cloud slinking across the sun only adds to their depths. 

There's not much sound out there aside from the rustle of the grass of the plains around them. Link looks out over their far expanse, squinting as his eyes gloss over mounds in the dirt, blackened statues worn from time and weather. Long, spindly, almost limb-like protrusions come from their bases, burrowed into the ground where they allow their hosts to tilt like buoys suspended in water. 

There's something eerie about their eternal presence. They cluster far off in the distance, where Link can see the green of vegetation, of mammoth trees he assumes to be the ones that belong to the forest in the middle. He's in awe that he can see them from so far away, but there's the possibility that it's just a trick on his mind's eye, that what he sees isn't quite what he perceives. 

He allows his gaze to linger on one of the statues nonetheless, his eyes meeting that of one etched into the stone. It almost seems to follow them as they move past its guarded presence, its pose ready to strike, its mechanical, spider-like legs ready to give chase after them. 

It doesn't, but Link can feel its gaze upon the back of his neck as they follow the path further down its length. 

Their next stop is yet another stable, left open and unprotected in the fields. It's situated against a small pond, one that houses docks across the surface that reflects Link's face like a mirror. He gazes down at himself with somewhat of a frown as he allows Epona a moment to get a drink, his fingers tugging at the skin underneath his eyes. The skin there is dark, and he sighs as he shakes his head. 

“Our room is the first one on the left,” Sidon muses behind Link, walking up behind him with a pleasant sort of air about him. “This time with two beds.” 

Link turns to face the other, lips parted and brows furrowed. _You didn't have to,_ he tries to say, tries to convey. _I really didn't mind it—_

Sidon waves a hand, cutting off his invisible pleas. “I've also taken the liberty of ordering us a home-cooked meal. Preserves are find and all, but I imagine this will sit with us much better, and for much longer. Hopefully it'll have us feeling a little more energized on the morrow as well. I will see you anon, yes?” 

Sidon nods, a gesture that has Link subconsciously doing it as well. Seemingly satisfied, Sidon wanders off towards the safety of enclosed walls, leaving Link there at the water's edge. 

He looks back down upon the glossed surface, at the grass underneath that houses the faintest flickers of neon colors dashing between their stalks. Epona shifts her weight towards him, watching what he watches, leaning herself gently against him. 

It's a scene only interrupted by the realization of the night falling hard around them. There's a whistle that grabs Link's attention, the kind that seems to summon...dogs? 

They tumble from the field's waving vegetation, emerging from seas of green and nearly tripping over each other. Link watches as he guides Epona along towards the proper stables, noting dogs with three eyes and two very, _very_ excited tails wagging as they approach their master. 

One locks eyes with Link, a blue tongue rolling from its black mouth. It fur reminds him of a collie, but extended canine teeth have him smiling sheepishly and hurrying Epona along to her resting place. 

Sidon, curiously enough, isn't in their room when Link finds himself there. Where he could have gone, he doesn't know, and there's nothing indicating Sidon's presence and lack thereof. No note, but it's not like Link would have been able to read it anyway. 

Their belongings are in the room at the very least, and that's enough for Link. He grabs a waterskin, takes a quick swig before moving along to the meal left behind for him upon the desk near the door. Link sits down before it, removing it from the depths of a silver-domed platter and poking at it curiously. 

It's like a cake, only lacking the frosting and wrapped in leaves. Link tugs the protective wrapping away to reveal something akin to a cornbread inside. Link pokes at _that,_ revealing a cavernous depth that houses a stew. Large chucks of meat are slathered in some brown sauce, and the steam and scent of it all wafts up into his nose, dragging a growl from the bottom of his stomach. 

He eats it all rather quickly, leaves included. They have a sweet, minty taste about them, supplementing the spice of the meat rather well. He pokes at the decanter of deep red liquid, pouring it out into a glass and catching a whiff of something suspiciously akin to alcohol. 

It's only with a careless shrug and perk of an eyebrow does he knock it back, finding himself pleasantly surprised by the equally-sweet complement of it all. It's almost like a wine, but it's not, chasing thoughts of strawberries in his mind as he drains his glass. There's an immediate sway to the floor that almost has him losing his stance, but he leans into it and finds himself quickly accustomed to—and rather favorable of—the feeling in the end. 

The stable is a much quieter one compared to the last. There's barely any activity going on about the inside, save for the receptionist and the person with the dogs. They keep to themselves and mutter underneath their breath, occasionally throwing a glance Link's way before continuing on in hushed tones. Link doesn't pay them any mind as he locates the bathroom, eager to feel himself dip into the waters and wash the day's humidity away. 

Luckily for him, the stable houses another such thing as the last; smaller comparatively, but empty just the same. Link runs himself a bath and soaks in the warm waters for quite a while, muscles relaxed and eyes heavy. He doesn't feel himself drift off into slumber, but he's rested by the time he rouses himself out of the water and feels the call of the beds. 

When Link returns to their room, Sidon still isn't there. Concern plucks at his ribs like a harp, a melody that drags his weary gaze about the room. An inebriated mind somehow thinks of the possibility that Sidon might be underneath the bed, mimicking childhood nightmares of glowing eyes and waiting mouths to gobble him up, but it's a silly fear unfounded as he finds the cavern underneath their beds empty. 

Link sits down upon the bed, contemplating sleep. Sidon would surely return on his own when he was ready, right? So there is no need to worry. 

Link leaves the lights on, nuzzling down into his pillow in nothing but a towel wrapped loose around his hips. Sleep plays at him like the waves of the ocean, back and forth and into a deep slumber, all too soon to be interrupted by the faintest of whispers catching his ear. 

It's an insistent thing, a breeze against his skin that manages to rouse him. Link blinks crusted eyes open, his skin covered in a cold sweat, gooseflesh playing at the hairs on his arms and the back of his neck. A vague sensation of being watched washes over him, and he rubs at his eyes warily as he glances around a dark room. 

Just like he's predicted, Sidon is there, upon the other bed and seemingly asleep; but there's still a played-out voice, a far-off tone that calls to him from the outside. Link's suspicious, leaning back down towards the mattress, but there's a tantalizing temptation to the whisper that keeps calling to him, an urge in its otherworldly voice that keeps beckoning. 

Link really does try his best to ignore it. He remembers Sidon's words, his advice, his warnings; his own persistent requests that Link tell Sidon before he heads out in the night. Yet there's something suddenly _dumb_ about Link as he slips free from the bed's confines, slipping his discarded clothes onto himself before he wanders out the door. 

He's at least in the right frame of mind to grab the knife from atop the table (when did it get there? It wasn't there before...) before he walks through the doors, out into the open front of the stables and, inevitably, outside. 

The sky is clear; vast, devoid of anything, not even the single wisp of a cloud. The stars are out for once, clear, bright, like they're fighting the usual darkness that seems to encroach the land in its ethereal hold. The moon itself is tinted red, not as harsh a hue as Link remembers it from the first time he'd seen it, but enough so that it's noticeable, a color that makes the celestial being swell and hang heavy at the horizon. 

Link gazes upon it, the whisper he's been hearing growing in intensity. There's a crackle to the air, a static that makes his hair stand on end. His knuckles clench tight around the blade in his hand, its gleaming surface catching the light of the moon and reflecting it like shattered glass. Something is near him, and his eyes search the landscape slowly, carefully, until he spots it. 

Out on the crest of a rolling hill is a torn ripple. It wavers against the sky, black as the void and housing two large eyes that stare him down to the core. The creature has no form, its outline barely visible, flickering in and out from his line of sight. It stays where it sits, watching Link with eyes as red as the moon, and as large as it, too. 

The whispering stops as they gaze at each other. Link doesn't make a move to get any closer, and his fear presses against the back of his throat, forcing him to a complete standstill. Thankfully the creature seems keen on keeping to itself, simply watching every one of Link's movements. 

Slowly, the wavering outline seems to settle on something more stable. It forms a creature the size of a small house, colored a dark, russet brown, almost black. Its eyes continue to hold the glow of that red moon, and two large, gleaming white tusks protrude past a mouth leaking a vile, viscous liquid onto the grass. The wind tugs its scent towards him, and he covers his nose and mouth to block the all-too-familiar smell of death and decay. 

Link's reminded of a boar as the creature takes a step forward, its large head turned to the side. Its eye is kept on him, squinted, like it's observing its next meal. Link feels the instinct to run play at the back of his heel, but there's something that keeps him rooted. Something that tells him it's a better idea to stay put, anyway. 

The creature inches forward slowly, steadily, leaving a trail of black behind it as it walks. It's almost like the plants themselves have died underneath the creature's hooves, withered and fallen to the soil that turns a mushy red with every step the creature takes. The smell that wafts from its rotting skin increases in its intensity, and Link's watering eyes helplessly close before he can stop it. 

The presence of the creature can be felt in the very air itself. The ground thunders underneath each step it takes, and its eyes continue to pick Link apart. The closer it gets, the more of a challenge it becomes to look at it head-on. 

It comes to a halt before Link after an eternity, its towering presence looming over him like a storm on the horizon. 

Link's shaking muscles make it impossible to look up, to meet its eyes, to meet its maw where it hangs over his head, parted, dripping that mysterious, blackened fluid onto his head and shoulders. 

Link holds the knife uselessly out before him. Yet in that moment, he has sudden trouble discerning between reality and a dreamscape. None of this feels real, and the occasional flicker to the creature's very form has his mind struggling to grasp the reality of the situation. Everything smells real, the knife in his hands _feels_ real, and he's sure he's awake. 

Yet the whisper picks back up, sliding down his spine in a trickle as words clear as day resound through his ears. 

_You will not escape me this time._

The meaning is lost to Link as he jerks up in surprise, heaving air through his lungs only to discover the creature's sudden disappearance. He looks around, spins in place, knife held out in trembling fingers he's not quite sure would defend him, if needed. 

But the night is back to black, and his surging fears finally send him running back to their room where he stays awake through the night and ponders what he's just seen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact! This is 110 pages of text in my word doc. -slumped over my keyboard, wheezing-
> 
> But ayy! I need to break the habit of updating at 3 in the morning in my time, but ah well...at least I got it out to ya guys LOL Thank you all so much for reading and the continued support! Sorry I went off the radar, I really didn't mean to ;; But all of your sweet and kind comments really do mean the world to me. This fic wouldn't be here without you guys. So again, thank you so much! ♥ Until next chapter!


	13. Onwards and Onward

Sidon's shaking Link awake before the sun's even shown its face. It's a gentle insistence, one that rises in intensity, that has Link jerking awake and finding himself face to face with glowing eyes. They're the first thing he sees, a comforting yellow in the blackish blue of their morning. 

Sidon moves to say something, but there's a lingering slime in the back of Link's throat that tastes too much like that creature smelled. Trembling fingers that haven't seemed to manage to calm from the night before are lunging out for Sidon, and Link's throwing his arms around the man's neck and pushing close into a forced embrace. 

Sidon's words come to a juddering halt, words that Link wasn't paying attention to, nor even registered. The only real thing to him at that moment was that embrace, one Sidon is quick to reciprocate after a beat. 

“My friend,” he murmurs, before pulling back, “are you all right?” 

His words are grounding, a soft, light purr that brushes across Link's skin in a feathery dance. Skin that lacks the black, acrid thickness of death itself. Skin that seems remarkably okay, after his night before. He seems wholly unharmed, and the stench that seemed keen on lingering is gone from the depths of his nostrils. 

It has Link leaning back as well, sucking a sharp breath between his teeth. He's lightheaded, and wants nothing more than to be buried in between those arms again, but he feigns a smile. He gestures to Sidon, gestures to their room, gestures a little more widely in the hopes to get a question across to his companion: _what happened to you yesterday?_

It takes Sidon a moment, a blink (and he really does have two sets of eyelids, doesn't he?) before he nods, seemingly understanding as he straightens himself back out to his impressive height. 

“I was asking the locals about the best way to get into the rito village these days,” he muses, head tilted to the side. "There's another stable just down the road, presumably to accommodate more guests than just this one here. I spent some time there, and before I'd known it, it was late. I do apologize, friend. But were you all right...? Another blood moon crept up on us, and I didn't see you when I had first entered our room. Was everything fine?” 

Everything was _not_ fine, but Link nods his head anyway. Sidon doesn't seem too convinced, letting a hand linger upon Link's shoulder, dipping low to his bicep, where it squeezes it gently. 

“You may rest on our journey,” Sidon says, eyes lidded, something more to his voice. “After our late start from yesterday, I only deemed it fitting we try and make up for the time today. I'm sorry again, my friend.” 

Link shakes his head, reaching for Sidon's hand and simply taking a moment to hold it. To be frank, he's glad they're leaving; there is still a presence of something almost suffocating in the air, and Link wants to be away from it. 

Their usual routine to gather up their belongings takes no time at all, and Link finds himself upon Epona's back, eyes drawn to the spot he'd been last night. The air carries a distinctive blue hue, draping itself over the land like a translucent silk. Link's fingertips feel numb as everything around him still carries a sense of _unreal,_ like he's side-stepped into yet another dimension, one that just barely overlays with Sidon's and has a hard time agreeing on meeting in the middle. 

But the grass is as bright a green as it had been yesterday, and the wild blossoms raise their heads to the oncoming sun and dance their time away in the loose breeze. Link stares at the spot where that _thing_ had been for some time, until Sidon's own gaze is inevitably drawn towards it as well, his talons tugging Epona's reins along their path. 

“I wonder, do you feel it too?” 

Sidon's words tug at the edge of Link's consciousness, forcing them to lock eyes. A comforting gesture, among the current turmoil in his head. 

Link nods, his shoulders slouching, his expression falling into the unsure, the fearful, his eyes mirroring the turmoil he feels deep inside. 

“Something was here,” Sidon murmurs, but that's all his voice seems keen on saying. His hand offers a touch to Link's thigh, lingering there as they finally turn and make their way to the village, leaving the haunting presence behind. 

It's an entire few days and some nights more before they find themselves at the base of the mountains. They stand even taller than the ones surrounding the Zora domain, striking up into the clouds with pointed purpose, distant peaks white against blue. Even with traveling for such a seemingly short amount of time and distance, there's a drop in the temperature that Link's sure will only increase the farther within the territory they get. 

It's an eerily quiet place with nothing but the wind whipping past slated rocks and cliffsides, blustering through the heavy trunks of coniferous trees and rustling their needles; but the stables they find down at the base of the trails are lively and full of helpful answers. Even the rito themselves are down here, traveling with their own purposes and selling winged horses that shimmer in colors as bright as themselves. 

Link finds himself gravitating towards them while Sidon asks for directions to the main village proper. There is some whispering he can hear, about the Zora's prince, about the human that accompanies him at his side. There is some whispering about the double blood moon some days back, and there is some whispering about how Link's presence seems to be bringing misfortune upon them all. 

It is a somewhat sobering thought, one that has his hand falling before it even reaches the nose of the pegasus he stands with. The rito nearby seems to notice his discomfort, and gesture that it's okay to spend time with the steeds, at the very least. 

Link does linger, his fingers brushing over the peach-soft fuzz of the horse's nose. It whinnies softly, bouncing its head and sniffing his fingers for treats. Link can hear Sidon talking in the background, his powerful, princely, diplomatic voice reverberating off of the wooden walls and revealing nearly every single letter he utters. 

“You have been most helpful, my friend,” he says, and Link can just picture the smile splitting his face in two. An image he finds himself sneaking a peak of, his eyes drawn to a jaw that could swallow him whole. “We will wait until the imminent danger of these bluffs you are talking about has passed. I bid you safety on your own travels.” 

The rito Sidon had been talking to smiles, her long, elegant beak turning to nuzzle into the hair of her companion at her side. Her wing is draped over the smaller woman's shoulders, and for a moment, Link almost thinks he's found another human like himself. 

But they turn, and the rito's companion catches the light. Her skin seems slick, like she's been swimming in chlorine-infested pools all day. Her limbs darken at the hands and feet, forming a gradient halfway up her arms and legs that ends in a dappling of spots. Her hair resembles the mane of the kelpie Link remembers, and her eyes contain no color, just an oil-slick black that meets Link's blue. 

They stare at each other for a moment, and she smiles. She's wearing furs underneath an elaborately-dappled cloak, and she offers him a wave from underneath the garment. Link smiles back and offers the same gesture, and as she walks past, her partner's wing still tucked tight around her shoulders, Link catches the scent of an ocean breeze, feels a chill in the air of winds gusted across waves. 

It leaves him with a shiver prickling at his spine, and he reaches back to drag fingertips along the lines of the mark of Ruta. 

The tingling dissipates as Sidon finds himself at Link's side, one of his clawed hands draped over Link's shoulder. “It seems we'll have to spend another night in a stable,” he says, his voice much quieter, more honeyed for Link's presence. “I'm afraid that their last available room is single-bed, yet again. Though I doubt you'll care much at this point, considering we've been sharing for some nights now.” 

There's almost something sort of teasing to his voice, and Link fights the blush as he playfully pushes the other away. Sidon chuckles as he steps away, moving on to find Epona and grab their necessities. His words aren't wrong, at the very least, but there's still the implication that they've been something so weirdly intimate that Link can't still quite put his finger on the situation at hold. The cuddling _had_ been nice, offering a window to a kind of touch and feeling he's never felt before. 

He doesn't want to read too much into it, though. For as kind as Sidon's been, for as _understanding_ as Sidon's been, his end goal is still to return home. Falling down the rabbit hole that is the unknown in his fluttering emotions rings loud and clear as a red alert deep within his mind. 

So while his eyes linger on Sidon's back, on the way his tail seems to curl when he is happy, on the glimmering of the jewels that adorn his crimson skin...

Link blinks, forcing his attention to turn back towards the pegasus beside him. 

“Her name is Pinia,” perks up a voice beside him. Link almost jumps, but he keeps his cool long enough to simply turn and see who's talking to him. To his surprise, it's the rito he remembers seeing occasionally on their travels. He smiles down at Link, holding a wing out, as if to gesture to the pegasus. 

“She's one of the pegasi we use to help travelers without wings, such as you, get about. It seems she's taken a liking to you.” The rito's eye seems to sparkle, and he readjusts himself to face Link proper. “I can't help but take an interest in you, too. You seem familiar, you know.” 

Link can't do much more than blink, and offer the rito something of an apologetic shrug. The rito just laughs, shaking his head before tipping over into the smallest of bows, his wing cutting silently through the air to elaborate the action. 

“My name is Kass. I've been inadvertently traveling with you and yours, it seems. If you find yourself with a question, or just simply in some need of entertainment, I doubt it'll be hard to find me again. Take care.” Kass nods, before he's gone just as soon as he had appeared. Link watches as he makes his way outside, noting the thing strapped to his side that, funnily enough, resembles an accordion. 

The rito is forgotten about all too quickly as Sidon comes back into Link's line of sight, urging a smile from his lips as he watches the towering man saunter over to him. “I've a treat for you, my friend,” Sidon purrs, placing a hand between Link's shoulder blades to guide him to their room. “This stable offers a regional dessert. I've ordered some for you and I to enjoy after our meal proper. I'm sure you won't be disappointed.” 

Sidon cracks open the door to their room, and Link almost has to double-take. It's a wide room, domed, glass walling at the far end that offers a view to a spectacular drop in the mountains the building seems to have hidden. Pine and other deciduous trees grace whatever small landing they can ingrain their roots into, and Link can see a waterfall peeking through the leaves, its sparkling surface almost as smooth as a mirror as it cascades down into a lake at the bottom of a wide basin. 

Link wanders over to the window, gazing down and spotting multitudes of colored flowers, ferns, and wildlife all splashing about in the lake. They're too small to make out any details, but Link sees little birds that resemble ducks, and he finds himself wanting to go down there and feed them, to admire their funny little curved beaks and wings much larger than their bodies.

But there's something else in the water; creatures like that woman the lady rito had been with, lounging at the sides of the lake, visibly talking amongst themselves. Link finds himself curious about them, and he turns to Sidon, pointing to them with wide eyes. 

Sidon wanders over, his footsteps quiet, his hands dropping a bag onto their large, feathered bed. “Oh!” he exclaims, following Link's finger to the creatures in the pool. "Those people are the selkies I believe I've mentioned. They live in the rivers and lakes, and in the oceans, too, though we'd only be seeing the selkies of the ocean if we were to travel so far. Their society is rather secluded, and they mostly prefer to keep to themselves. That's not speaking for all of them, though, I assure you."

Sidon smiles, his arms crossed thoughtfully over his chest. "Their true forms become cloaks that they don when they take shapes akin to yours. In their true form, they are mysterious, highly dangerous creatures of the water. The more hostile of their race live in the colder, icier oceans. The local folk have seemed to drift away from that sort of lifestyle, however." He pauses. "I have to admit, I do not know much about them. Should you be curious, I would be happy to ask the rito about them for you."

Sidon bends over, and taps the front of his rounded bump against Link's forehead. It leaves him momentarily stunned, feet glued to the floor as Sidon hums and wanders away. The touch had created something tingly where it made its momentary contact, and Link finds himself brushing his fingers across the patch of skin that had been touched. His face feels warm, like he's blushing, and he quickly turns himself away to occupy himself with other means. Like taking off his shoes, for one. 

They fit like a glove and still proved to be the most comfortable things he's ever worn, but he tosses them to the side in favor of falling onto the bed. While they've slept in some comfortable beds thus far, this one definitely has to take the cake. It smells like warm vanilla and lavender, with a hint of the conifer forests around them. The sheets are a deep burgundy, and the comforter is as thick as Link's arm. He feels terrible for sullying it with his less-than-clean body, and it's a wonderful excuse to slip away for a short moment and take a bath in a room as fresh and clear as the bedrooms themselves. 

Link doesn't linger in the warm waters, instead hurrying back for their last meal of the day. It's a dish centered around a fish resembling a salmon, spices coating its ridged flesh and offering a spiced tang of pepper and curry combined. The fish itself is green on the inside of its pinked skin, and while unsettling at first, it tastes light, hinting at lemon and grass. Link shrugs, indulging in the rest of it and watching as Sidon eats much more enthusiastically than him. 

It's over all too soon (the strange, blue, grape-like things adorning the side of the dish included) and Link finds himself positively, utterly content. The most content he's felt since arriving here in this strange world, and lucky for him, his little treat of an evening doesn't seem to be over. The setting sun casts a warm, orange hue into their room, offering a gentle warmth to bask in as they sit upon the bed, Sidon's hands bringing another dish out before them with a flourish. 

The dish itself feels like clay, glossed over in a glaze that captures little fragments of glittering pigment. It matches the sunset, sparkling bright red in the golden rays. A chiffon cloth covers the top of it, and Sidon tugs it away to reveal something that immediately made Link's mouth water, despite how full he is. 

Berries of all kinds are situated in the middle of a baked batter, soft and brown and delightfully spongy. Link pokes at it curiously, noting little fruits shaped like spades. They are covered in some kind of jam, and on top of it all is a hard, candy-like circle that reflects the sun. It's like the polished sides of rock candy, and Sidon chips away at the cake until a piece for Link falls forth onto his previously-used plate. 

“Enjoy, my friend,” he says, leaning back against the pillows and watching. “It's mostly for you. I myself am not a big fan of sweets, as they make my insides writhe and hurt. So you enjoy on my behalf.” 

He offers Link a reassuring nod of the head, and Link's diving into it before he can help himself. 

It's like a fruit cake, but the flavors of the berries are magnified almost, it seems. They have a chill to their skins that rakes against his tongue, leaving it almost bared, and making every bite just as intense as the last one. It takes Link a good moment to even realize what he's eating is actually _cold,_ for his breath has begun to frost, and there's a prickly pain in the roof of his mouth that spreads out towards the base of his skull. 

He stops, squinting his eyes with a soft puff of laughter. He can hear Sidon chuckling, and Link feels a hand drop onto his shoulder and slide down against the side of his ribcage. 

“There there, my friend. Just slow down.” 

Link finishes his fill of the cake, and together they put the rest elsewhere, for later. The sun is gone, leaving them in candle-lit darkness, little lanterns hanging like stars from the wooden ceiling. The shadows flicker against the wall, coiling, playful, reaching out to Link with tendrils that almost make him nervous. 

But he's too tired to kindle the fear. Sidon lays beside him, warm and ever-present. Link's eyes are dragging down into a comforted sleep before he can help it, and the sounds of far-off howls in the mountain's forests lull him away into darkness. 

The sun is replaced by a lazy drizzle of rain the next morning. The grey from the early hours lasts well into the afternoon, and Link sighs somewhat woefully as they walk the trails on foot towards the village. Epona was left behind where she was promised to be kept in safe quarters, but Link still finds himself worrying, glancing over his shoulders and gazing down walled paths of their mountainous trail. 

“It certainly is a bit more lonely, not having her around, huh?” Sidon asks, wrapping his arm around Link's shoulder. He's wearing the silken blanket they brought along as a cloak, having it draped over his arm to the point it's like an umbrella for Link. It looks silly, but Link's grateful as he presses closer to Sidon's side with a nod of his head. 

“She wasn't very talkative, but she's told me some things here and there of your home. Of green pastures and big, tall trees. Apparently those trees are what housed the way into our realm. Where many of us hide in _your_ shadows.” He trails off, looking thoughtful as his yellow eyes manage to replace the very sun among the slate clouds. 

Link nods to his words, finding himself lost as he gazes up at Sidon. He wants so badly to tell him of the stories that used to swirl around those eerie trees, of how others, just like himself, would disappear randomly one day, never to come back. It has him wondering if he'll meet anyone who's gotten lost in this world, or if he has already. After all, there were the beings that looked similar to him. Reaching up to ghost his finger over his ear, to feel out the point that's been growing there, stretching the skin back towards his head...it isn't a far-off possibility. 

But it's one he buries with the rest of his unspoken thoughts as he focuses back upon their walk. He forces his gaze away from Sidon's eyes, looking around instead at the towering pines that creep along the mountain's peaks. They remind Link of the great redwoods, but they're even bigger, and much more magnificent. They're so large that, as they grow closer to the village, Link can already see houses inside the boughs, glimmering peaks of lights that illuminate bridges spanning from one cluster of trees to the other. 

The air picks up the sounds of wavering music, singing, all carried along to them on the breeze that grazes through the leaves. Before long, their path ends at the base of a large peak, and Link gazes up at it with wide-eyed wonder. 

Stairs are built along the stone, spiraling up until they reach the peak. Dark brown wood accentuates buildings, all built against and along the sides of the stone, separate from the peak itself, and offering shelters of enclosures carved into the stone. Heavy chimes hang from outcropping roofs, all of which hold a specific, circular hole in their centers. At the moment, all are covered with brightly-embroidered tapestries, and Link can see fires glimmering inside the homes, watches as the smoke wafts up into the sky from the open walling. 

He watches as feathers strung along rope ripple in the wind, and he takes a moment to admire the lanterns hanging at their sides. Statues at the base of the peak where the stairs begin their ascent into the village loom over them, larger than Sidon and carrying the appearance of old, rugged owls. Their eyes seem to follow them as they walk into the base, and Link catches sight of a smaller, older statue set into an enclave at the base of the mountain. 

It appears to be a woman, her face nearly worn and blank. A crown of flowers rests upon her head, but even they're old and withering, not as vibrant as they once used to be. A single torch behind her is the only light source within the cave, and there's something about her that has Link stopping, gazing upon her lithe form. 

His eyes seek out her lifeless ones, and his stomach swells with a sense of unsure longing. There's almost a whisper to the wind as he watches her, and his fingertips tingle, a sensation that spreads up his arms and along his back. It rises to an intensity that makes him shiver, the world swaying from underneath his feet. 

Sidon's voice in his ear has him jumping, wrenched from his little stupor, and he turns with wide eyes to face the man.

“Are you okay?” Sidon asks, down on one knee, his hands reaching for one of Link's. They clasp, and Link shakes his head with an awkward smile. 

_It's nothing,_ he mouths, _I just thought I heard something._

Sidon's worrying expression is unwavering, but he nods, pretending to understand. Maybe he does, maybe he doesn't. But it's enough for Link to know he tries. 

Sidon gets back to his feet with a smile, running one of his large hands up Link's chest, towards his throat. A moment's panic almost has him thinking Sidon's finally going for the kill, but it's a smothered thought that finds itself buried underneath a gentle, cradled touch against the side of his fluttering jugular. 

Link leans into it, feeling a little less awkward under the scrutiny of the statue behind them. He focuses on Sidon instead, before his gaze is suddenly drawn to the flapping of a rito overhead. They soar through the air like a hawk caught on the updrafts, and Link admires their glistening white feathers as they disappear into the leaves. Sidon's own attention is drawn to them, and he clicks his tongue as he allows a hand to rest upon his hip. “I do suppose we should get going,” he muses. “The village elder has to be around here somewhere, if my memory hasn't failed me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chews my nails anxiously as i force myself to keep the pace of this fic and not jump to the Good Stuff just yet
> 
> asjndbf y'all i'm dying here 
> 
> (but I hope you aren't LMAO as always, though, thank you guys so much for the continued support. ♥ you guys mean the world to me, and have boosted my confidence so much, oh my god. I could go on for hours lmao)


	14. Over the River and Through the Snow

As it turned out, Sidon being a somewhat-known diplomat worked very well in their favor. Link watches as Sidon manages to wrangle out exact directions, plans of the village elder, and what he ate for the day from complete strangers who just only know who Sidon is from hearsay. Link is astounded, watching with open mouth and wide eyes. 

Sidon seems rather proud of himself as he returns to Link's side, his arm wrapping loosely around his shoulders with the casual intimacy of close friends. “We will have to wait for the morrow, for he has retired to his own premises. But for now, let us rest as we watch the sunset.” 

A sunset that paints the sky in a multitude of colors, from deep purple to bright pink, and orange and yellow and blue in between. The colors lash themselves against the sky in a gradient, and Link watches as twilight touches the far-off, snowy mountains as the land is benighted. 

The next morning brings a flurry of colors upon the wind, and it whips around Link's head as he's donning the outfit Sidon bought him from the market weeks before. It wasn't terribly noticeable yesterday, but the air carries a definite chill about it that makes Link grateful for the opportunity to bundle up. The clothes feel like suede and hug him with thick, warm fabrics, and Link sighs softly to himself as he stands behind Sidon, playing with the feathers at the front of his hood as he looks around. 

Sidon is locked in conversation with a rito merchant, asking about the easiest way up the peak, towards where the elder lives. Link finds himself waiting patiently, until he locks eyes with a smaller, utterly-unfair, utterly-adorable rito child. Or, at least, he can only figure it's a child. 

It stares at him with wide eyes, and he offers it a smile and a wave of the hand. If there's one thing the rito have above the zora, it;s the fact that they seem less intent on staring at him like he's a zoo animal on display. The little child waddles over, and Link's smile only grows as she stops at his feet and he watches her take a deep breath. 

“You look weird!” she says, obviously mulling over her next words as her previous ones draw forth a laugh from Link's lips. “But...you also look very pretty. Mommy has feathers on her head that remind me of yours!” 

She points to his hair, and he reaches up to hold the usual lock at the side of his head out. The little one nods, and Link crouches low beside her to let her have a better look. She reaches out with one of her strange wing-hands, and Link watches she brushes the tips of her tiny, soft feathers along his hair and cheek. 

“It's so different! You look like what I imagine a 'rudo would look like!” She bounces in place, flapping her little wings. Link laughs again, his elbows on his knees. He has no idea what a _Rudo_ is, but he nods in agreement anyway. 

There's a voice behind them that calls out for a _Lissia,_ and the little one turns her head towards a brilliantly pink rito standing in the doorway of a wooden hut, just down the flight of steps from where they are. The little one before Link turns back to him with bright eyes and a huge smile, and she hops once more, her wings above her head. 

“I'll see you again soon, mister! Mommy wants me,” she breathes, before taking off like a little bullet down the stairs. Link's almost worried she'll trip, but he watches her plow into her mother's stomach and disappear past the tapestry that blocks their door. 

It leaves Link with a smile on his lips, and he turns to find Sidon has one, too. 

“What an adorable child,” he muses, his golden eyes on Link. “It's rather refreshing to see others who aren't afraid of you. I think your human scent has finally worn off. Makes you a little more approachable, I think.” 

Link blushes, the softest of pinks that play at the ridge of his cheekbones. He smiles and diverts his gaze, earning himself a fond look from Sidon. Truth be told, he's glad he seems to be less of a threat as well. It makes life more bearable to be able to walk around and not have to deal with the staring, the hushed words, the incessant whispering. 

Sidon's gesturing him up the stairs before his thoughts can chase that rabbit, hand outstretched and waiting for Link's. Link takes it, situating himself at Sidon's side as he gazes up the steps. “The stairs will take us directly to the elder,” he muses, leaning close for Link to hear his quiet words. “Are you ready?” 

And while Link's nervous, reminiscent of his first encounter with the Beasts, he nods. It can't be all bad, if the first time didn't kill him. Hopefully, anyway; the mark hasn't itched, nor ached, or given any indication that it is still there, but Link is wary. He's felt fine, but that occasional tingle that drops along the curve of his spine...well, it keeps him on edge. 

He presses close to Sidon, walking with him one step at a time up the dark, wooden incline. Houses and huts line the spiraling path, and rito hawk (was that a bad pun?) their wares, showing off beaded jewelry, feathered garments, and woven tapestries depicting the scenes around them. Link admittedly wants to browse what they had to offer, but Sidon keeps them on their path, a silent voice of reason that is probably for the best. 

Warm clothes soon turn into regret as they breach the trees. The sun hits them a little harder without the protection of the leaves, and Link is already worn out from climbing the stairs. He stops at the rise of an incline of stairs, finding himself on a wooden deck that, at first glance, just looks like a normal porch. There's chairs, and from the high poles are charms and wooden chimes strung along from one to the other. 

But the railings break occasionally at the sides, and Link watches as a rito spreads their wings and drops from one of the openings. Alarm hits him like a truck, before he remembers, oh, yeah, they can fly. Relieved, he sits back and watches the rito take off, their wings flapping lazily as the winds pick them up and carry them away. 

It's still utterly baffling to Link that such a thing even _exists._ These people, who have housed a culture all on their own, existing in their own world and carrying about such a mystical wonder about them, and being able to achieve so much... 

He always finds his head hurts a little when he thinks too hard on it, but it really is such an incredible thing. Link breathes in the cool air, finding the uncomfortable heat from the sun's rays isn't too bad if he is going to be allowed to see more. 

Sidon gestures for him to follow, his hand finding home around Link's waist, fingertips playing towards the curve of his hip. 

The rest of the trek is more gradual than it is steep. At the very peak of the blunted mountain resides a hut bigger than the ones below, covered entirely in translucent curtains that caught the light, spilling it past the cloth into brilliant hues against the white stone. Two rito stand at what Link presumes to be the entryway, and Link finds he recognizes the white feathers of the guard on the left as the rito he saw flying about yesterday. 

“We're here to speak with Kaneli,” Sidon says, letting Link go for the moment. He steps forward, the attention of the two guards upon him. “I am Prince Sidon, and there's a matter of utmost importance I'd like to discuss with him.” 

The white rito squints, while the other, a brilliantly red-colored individual (Link thinks they look very much like a macaw, really) nods, and smiles. “I've been hearing the buzz about your arrival, Prince Sidon. You are more than welcome to have your audience with the elder.” 

She bows, looking to the white rito beside her. “That is, if it's okay with you, Teba?” 

He grunts, tossing his head to the side. “It's none of my business,” he says, looking to the other three from the corner of his eye. “Just know I'll be listening, in case anything goes wrong.” 

“Of course.” Sidon bows, and Link awkwardly imitates the action. The lady rito laughs, gesturing them inside the hut with a sweeping motion of her wing. Link notes a bow strapped to her back, an intricate, ornate thing that's nearly as large as he is, compared to her. 

He doesn't have much time to linger and ogle as Sidon pushes him inside. 

The hut is domed, fitted with a glass ceiling. The panels are stained, giving off the illusion that they just walked inside of a literal rainbow. The colors lay in patches against Link's skin, offering a glowing hue of vibrant shades that remind him of the sunset and sunrise. 

The colors look even better on Sidon, for he's practically shimmering with each step he takes underneath the light. His skin seems almost glossy, and his eyes catch and refract the light like two little suns. With his tail draped over his shoulder, he looks positively stunning. 

Link's quickly looking away, rubbing at his jaw. His gaze catches the elder's, though, and he nearly freezes in place. 

The elder is, for lack of better words, a huge owl. His face is pointed in a beak as sharp as a knife, and his eyes are colorless, trained on them and watching them carefully. Where brown must have once been the primary color of his pigmented feathers, there's patches of white around his mouth and head, dappled along his wings and his body. His tail is long and elegant, wrapped around his feet and his chair where he sits. 

Sidon bows, Link does the same, and he watches as the elder's feathers puff out along his chest and crest. 

“Prince Sidon,” he coos. Literally. “It's been some time, my boy.” 

“Too long, Kaneli. I trust things have been well with you and yours?” 

“As well as they can be. The quiet has been plentiful, offering me ample time to learn of your coming. And I must say, I am curious to the reasoning behind your visit. Is your father...?” 

“No,” Sidon interjects, offering the elder a reassuring smile. “No, he's fine. I'm here on different business. My friend, here, has...well.” 

He clears his throat, his hand finding home on Link's shoulder and squeezing. Sidon wastes no time in explaining his blessing, offering his assistance to Link to help him shrug out of his jacket and lift his shirt. Link can't properly see the mark, but the noise it draws from the elder is thoughtful. He hums quietly as Sidon finishes the rest of the story, and once Link's clothes are situated and he's turned back around, the elder is nodding. 

“Most curious indeed,” he muses, his head tilted back, his pointed features looking down upon Link like a predator would its prey. “Medoh has been stirring. This would be the reason why, then.” 

Link drops his own gaze to the floor, letting it wander. He can see other rito flitting to and fro from other rooms; servants and guards, he guesses. Or even just family that lives in the hut with the elder, for there's another rito watching from the side. It looks similar to the elder, its head tilted, wings draped onto the floor. It looks more like a mix between a peacock and an owl, wooden-hued feathers giving way to deep, translucent greens and blues at its tail. 

They lock eyes, and Link smiles shyly. A gesture that's luckily returned. 

“I see no reason to not grant you passage to the Beast,” the elder finally rumbles. “Though, bear in mind that the trek is harder on ones who cannot fly. I can supply you a single guide, but that's all my forces can spare at the moment. And he will leave you once the journey is halfway through. Agreeable?” 

Link can see the tension leave Sidon's shoulders, and he nods. “Yes,” he murmurs, offering the elder another bow. 

“Then tomorrow evening, bring the boy back and we will perform the rite of passage. Fast when the moon is high, and abstain until the Beast has been met.” The elder nods towards Link, and he does so, too, in return. 

The elder smiles yet again, another gesture Link didn't think he would find himself underneath. Link offers his own, doing his best to hide the utter gratefulness he can feel behind his lips; and as he and Sidon leave the hut, he decides he likes the rito quite a bit. 

It's a thought that has him feeling guilty, especially when he sits with Sidon their room at night, listening to how his companion will refuse to eat so Link doesn't have to be alone in his endeavor. 

“It's only right,” he says, his chin held high as he waves his hands Link's way. “Leaving you alone to such matters and watching you suffer because of them is not my intention. You needn't worry, my friend.” 

He leans close, and Link catches the scent of a dewy spring breeze. It tickles his nose and fills him with the images of clouded skies, hanging low and heavy over vibrant flowers. Suddenly he's a little homesick, but he wraps his arms around Sidon instead, smothering the thought, the feeling, with a tight embrace instead. 

Not eating isn't much of a problem. Link's nerves keep him up until the sun rises anyway, and sleep only happens in short bouts as they wait to return to the elder. It seems like an eternity has passed before a rito warrior is knocking at their door, telling them it's safe to arrive at the elder's premises early. 

They make the trek up the stairs in the fading sunlight, Link's eyes on the skies that the rito seem so keen on carefully imitating through their art. It's a breathtaking view nonetheless, and soon Link can see why. With the air being colder, it's almost a little more crisp. The twilight's stars make their first appearance, dancing in bright colors Link's never seen before. He _wants_ to see more, but as always, as the night darkens, it does so completely. 

Eventually the moon and the stars themselves are swallowed up, and Sidon grimaces as he rubs the side of Link's arm. 

Kaneli awaits them inside of the main room, on his feet, his head turned to the side. This time they are alone, and each creak of the floorboards underneath their shoes crawls up Link's spine and settles uneasily at the base of his skull. Like with O'rha, the room is completely dark, save for a single light emanating from an orb in front of Kaneli. 

It glows green, white and shades of summer swirling within its depths. Kaneli gestures Link forward with a wing, instructing him to stand on the other side of the orb. 

“Put your palms to the crystal,” Kaneli starts, “and close your eyes. I want you to focus on nothing else, aside from my voice, and the song of our people. Focus on the words, and let the spirit of the Beast within, so that you might understand the Beast, and become one with the Beast.” 

He waits, looking towards Link expectantly. Link's waiting for more, but thankfully this time, Kaneli doesn't seem too keen on making him strip in a pool. 

Link steps forward, hands outstretched. His fingertips brush along the rounded edge of the crystal, before he presses the flats of his hands completely against it, caressing it. He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes, focusing on how empty he feels. 

Kaneli's voice picks up over the silence before long, and it's a low, hummed lull that plucks at Link's ears and makes them twitch. Words he could understand are soon replaced by a tongue he's never heard before, and it sways and swirls around him like the light before his closed eyes. There's a swirling rush to the room that threatens to pick Link up, whipping his clothes and hair in a tight cyclone that eventually gains enough strength to make him feel like he's floating. 

When next Link opens his eyes, he is. 

He's far above the clouds, their surfaces streaked in the stained leak of a setting sun. Orange burns bright against deepening navy, and he looks around him to see a globe of stars above his head. A sight that's swallowed whole by yet more clouds, all turning around him and offering windows to the view of the world below him. 

Streaks of white hang close to the surface below, and Link can vaguely see the village underneath himself. There's a flapping of wings in his ears, and he can see the faint silhouettes of birds he's seen, and much larger creatures with toothed beaks that circle him with interest. 

They all part their beaks to join in with the chorus of Kaneli's song, swirling around him in a tightening spiral. They lift him up higher into the air, their wings flapping firmly against the wind, their feathers breaking free and swirling around him like petals in the wind. 

The shrieking hits its climax, and all at once, it's over. 

The silence hits Link like a truck, and he hits the floor and almost collapses to his knees. Sidon's there, at his side, keeping a firm hand around his arm to keep him up and steady. 

“That should do it,” Kaneli chuckles, bringing his outstretched wings back to himself. “The mountains should offer the ease of worn traveling. But once more, I offer you a guide. Meet with him tomorrow morn, and follow him where wind turns east. Continue to follow the wind where it may take you, and there, my friends, is where the Beast shall meet you.” 

He goes quiet, blinking once. “I wish you luck.” 

An ominous statement that's left to hang heavy in the air. Link feels it stick to his skin like a burr, and he scratches at it uncomfortably before bowing. 

“Thank you, elder Kaneli,” Sidon says, folding himself over into an elaborate bow. Link follows the gesture and does the same. “Hopefully, if all has gone well, we will see you again tomorrow evening.” 

Kaneli nods, and does something that strikes Link as awfully, awfully human: he yawns. It brings a yawn forcing itself from his own lungs, from the very bottom and forcing his jaw wide, escaping into the cooling air in the form of a frosted puff. Link shivers as he suddenly remembers the cold. 

Sidon wraps his arm tight around Link's shoulder and offers one more farewell, and they turn away from the elder with a content silence to fill the gap between them. Link finds himself nervous, but it's a feeling he smothers as he's guided back to their room, and he buries himelf with it in the sheets of their bed. 

Dawn comes steadily, with the rise of the sun to evaporate the blue of the early morning. There's a song on the breeze, mixed with the sounds of something instrumental. It sounds oddly like something with strings, a concept that has his groggy mind thinking about feather-fingers plucking strings and how exactly they manage to do it. 

It's an anatomy lesson his brain just isn't having, though. He thinks on it for some time until he just gives up, sighing softly as he tugs his boots onto his feet. Sidon's waiting at the door, arms crossed over his chest and gentle smile gracing his features. 

“It is always so interesting, seeing you move about in the mornings. You've got a routine, I've noticed.” 

_What?_ Link tilts his head, looking lost. 

Sidon only chuckles, though, before turning and gesturing for Link to follow. “Come,” he says, “our guide will have us know it's not a short and easy trip through the mountains.” 

Link can only figure as much, but upon seeing who their guide is, he really has to wonder if it's true, or just...words formed from the surly. 

“I'm Teba,” he says, his eyes towards the sky. He was waiting for them at one of the entrances to the village, an entrance towards the back and set against the mountains. It is a trail that either leads up into the peaks or away and into somewhere else, but that path is ignored as Link and Sidon come to stand with their guide. He is the white rito that was guarding the elder, and the one Link had seen upon entering the village. His feathers are dipped in black at their tips, making for an interesting, mottled pattern that, quite frankly, is lovely to look at. 

But Teba's frowning, catching Link's wandering gaze. Link quickly turns away. 

“This way,” he says, gesturing stiffly for them to follow. 

Sidon hums softly as he falls into step behind their guide, their pace steady and muffled against the gravel underneath their feet. Truth be told, the scenery isn't terribly different than it had been going in. The forests are lush and a deep green, however, and a misty dampness starts to form the deeper into the branches they go. 

The air carries a chill that's palpable after some time down the path. Teba's quiet, though all three of their breaths have become little clouds come to the surface of the earth, and the trees form themselves into evergreens, straight and unyielding, the winds only having ripped needles that had grown back from their branches. 

It's...bizzare. Link knows this is not how weather works. Yet the further down the path they go, the colder it grows. The mist turns into the fluttering fall of snow, and the sky overhead grows grey and dreary, replacing the bright blue it had been. 

Sure, Link's legs are hurting from exercising themselves on the rocky terrain, on the slopes that guide them upwards, but Link doesn't think they had traveled _that_ far. Yet when Link turns around to gauge their distance, he just can't tell. He's not really sure, and the sudden loss of time settles on his shoulders like an uneasy weight. 

He swallows it down, trying his best to just keep focusing on the walk before them. The snow eventually comes to cover everything, and their footsteps are the only ones to be left behind on the trail. The snow crunches softly underneath them, a glittering veil that Link almost feels bad about imprinting upon. It's so pure, its undisturbed surface sleek and rolling towards an enemy unknown. 

Link's mind wanders to the Beast, and suddenly, he's stopped. 

“This is where I'll take my leave,” Teba says, straightening his back as he turns to gaze down his beak at the other two. “I'll send someone to come check for you this time tomorrow, in case in you haven't returned by then. Good luck.” 

His expressions softens, somewhat. Sidon catches on and smiles, bowing heavily in gratitude. 

“Thank you, Teba. Take care on your way back home.” 

Teba nods, gathering his bow a little more closely to himself before turning back, walking the way they had just come. Link watches him go, guilt pricking at his skin with every flake of snow to land there in its place. 

He turns to Sidon, gesturing to him before gesturing to the path. _You can go, if you want. It's cold up here._

He accentuates the motions of his hands by hugging himself, shaking and looking as distressed as he can. Sidon blinks, probably unaware of the meaning behind such a humanly gesture, but he shakes his head nonetheless. 

“Let's keep going,” he murmurs, wrapping an arm tight around Link. “We'll share warmth as we head on towards our destination.” 

 

Link would much rather Sidon stay behind, but Sidon's already walking away, a soft hum resonating from his parted lips and billowing out into the air. 

Link follows after him, his teeth adopting a chatter after a while. Even Sidon's starting to finally look affected, and they're both swathed in extra cloaks they had bought from the rito back at the village. Link's still in awe over the rapidly-changing landscape, but at least it seems it's going to stay...well, snowy. 

At first, Link thinks they're alone. The mountains eventually give way for snowed-over plains, expansive and seemingly empty; but in the distance are creatures—horses—and much larger four-legged creatures with two heads that seem to loom over the herd. Sidon steps a little to Link as they slog through the snow, their eyes set on a lake in the middle of the field. 

Trees like white skeletons line the outer edge, pressed against the mountains and sparkling in what little sunshine peeks through the clouds. Their trunks are bent, broken, their branches reaching out like outspread fingers for a warmth that only would have served them back when they were alive. 

The horses and other creatures seem to pay them no mind as they walk closer towards the frozen lake. Link chances a look around, only to find himself eye to eye with a skeleton. A horse's skeleton, with two horns wrapped tight against either side of its skull. 

It whinnies. 

Link jumps. 

“This way, my friend,” Sidon murmurs, shielding him from the sight of the undead creature. “If what Kaneli has told me is true, this is the place we're looking for.” 

Link nods, the silence of the field settling in against his ears and pressing. The edge of the lake is a drop into frozen water like a mirror, and Link glances over the edge, gazing at his reflection curiously. 

All is quiet, until something shifts underneath the ice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I regret my trend of naming chapters. I should have left them as just Chapter 1, Chapter 2 LOOOL  
> But anyway, I hope y'all enjoy the update! Getting some exciting things going on with our next beastie, ohoho -rubs hands together- 
> 
> As an aside, though, something has come up in my real life that I really hate to mention. More details can be found here: http://spacerot.tumblr.com/post/165847378332/hey-yall-i-know-i-only-exist-in-the-realm-of-my, and of course, since that's my personal blog, you can always ask questions there as well. I really hate to bring it up, but with being in a tight spot and all, I thought this might be a good way to spread my word. Of course, no one has to feel obligated to look, though. But I would greatly appreciate it. ♥
> 
> As always, thank you guys so much for reading! You guys really do help get me going through these tough times. ♥


	15. Fateful Days, Fateful Nights

All at once, Sidon is gone. 

Link feels the ground dip out from underneath him, and watches as a structure rises from the water. It bubbles and breaks the ice, water like glass rolling from marbled stone as it rises into a gradual arch. The animals that had been in the field all seem to freeze in place, their eyes suddenly empty, glowing in shades of white, yellow, and blue. All of their gazes are on Link, the only sources of light as the air goes dark around him.

A whisper plucks at his ear. A gust of wind pulls from behind, blowing right through Link and setting a course his feet follow without question. His brain questions the action, but he's helpless as some force unseen pulls at him like a puppet on strings, guiding him over a bridge covered in slick moss that creates a perfect circle of itself in the reflection on the water's surface. 

Eyes locked in front of himself, Link's gaze falls upon a stone pillar situated in the very center of the lake. The lights from the creatures' eyes all seem to have settled there, pooling in spectral orbs that float upon the surface of the water and above it. A silhouette shifts in the darkness, frees itself from the shadows, and before Link can turn away, he sees it: Vah Medoh.

A grand beast, described to him before in not quite the right ways. Link's not sure if it has one or three heads, all pointed and singular, in one, multiple elegant beaks that end in a razor-sharp peak. Its two eyes, to eight, all and at once look at him, and Link can see the wings (are they two? Or are they four?) flutter and settle at the creature's side as it perches, unnaturally delicately, upon the stone pillar. 

Like Ruta, it's a specter gone sentient, ethereally real. Only hues of black and grey cling to its wavering form, but its eyes are distinctly blue, like the color of a cloudless sky set deep navy at the night's horizon. Link stares into them, against better judgment ringing to him from the voices of those who have given him advice before. 

Link stares into them, and watches as its beak(s) part(s). 

_You're quick to lose yourself in the wind,_ it says, in a voice that comes from Link's right shoulder. He turns his head, breaking a connection with the beast's eyes that leaves him feeling cold and empty. 

At his side is is another rito, taller than him, taller than Teba, yet shorter than Sidon in comparison. There's a frown etched on his translucent brow, and like Mipha, his eyes are empty sockets that gaze into nothing and all of Link at once. Link shivers, though no matter what he does, he can't look away. 

The rito steps to his left, and Link can feel something airy brush against his very skin. 

_We've warned you, your kind, and you again. Yet you allow the wind to take you to the four corners again..._

His voice trails off, the very moment a breeze whirls around them. Link can feel it strip himself bare like the trees, and he shudders, every bone creaking like their branches. The rito stops in front of him, head bowed to meet his eyes. 

_Go on,_ it says. 

_Go..._

It nods, turning away for Link to look at the beast again. It cocks its head(s), and silence settles around them like a blanket of snow. 

Beak(s) parted, it calls out. 

The sound drops from Link's ears to the soles of his feet, and there's a cutting sting that threatens to tear the flesh of his left arm to red ribbons. Link moves to clutch it, and the darkness drags itself down his eyes like the drop of a curtain. 

When Link awakens, the darkness is still somewhat prominent. He's cradled in the plush cushioning of blankets underneath and on top of him, and he blinks slowly as the light slowly returns to his sore eyes. 

He gazes up at a wooden ceiling, his eyes playing tricks on him in the form of trailing stardust that seems to trickle to the waterline of his lids. It takes a few good moments of more staring, more blinking, and contemplating why he's awake for it to fade, but he doesn't notice when he does. 

The first thing he notices is the lingering burn in his arm, and he winces as he moves to adjust himself. 

“Ah, careful,” murmurs a voice over him. 

Link, curious, turns to follow it to its source. Standing overhead is Kass, smiling warmly down at Link with splayed feathers and sparkling eyes. 

“You've been asleep for a couple of days. Just focus on the here and now, and work on making yourself feel somewhat normal again, yes? I know how rough it can be.” 

He reaches down, tugging the blankets over Link and letting his feathers brush gently against his skin. It's a comforting gesture, and Link nods, sighing quietly as his ears catch the noise of distant chimes in a distant doorway. 

“I'll let the Prince know you're awake. He's been fretting like a maid for her sweetheart, ever since he carried you back here in his arms. It's been rather charming. I've had to insist he occupy himself, else he lose himself in worry over you.” 

Kass hums softly, placing a wet cloth over Link's forehead. He feels a little awkward, and he doesn't even realize he's blushing half as hard until the water starts to cool his tired, ignited skin. 

He sighs again, using the hand attached to the arm that's currently not gnawing itself off to rub at the side of his face. Sleeping in, or waking up suddenly was one thing. But this, this would always be another entirely. Link feels like he's toed the line with death and danced her sweet duet, and his gummy eyes take a round of vigorous rubbing to get them feeling slightly normal again. 

Link's about to wallow, until he hears the familiar voice of his companion at the door. 

“Oh, my friend!” Sidon rushes over, looking as big and as magnificent as he always did. His grin is at least three miles wide, and the yellow of his eyes are just slits against the excited engorgement of his black sclera. 

Link smiles, about to sign a sign of _hey, how's it going, I'm all right,_ until there's a distinct weight pressed against his legs, and Sidon's wrapping his arms around Link and holding him close. He squeezes Link, gently, tenderly, and with enough force to knock the air from his lungs momentarily. 

But there's a purr to Sidon's actions that reverberates through Link as well, and any self pity he might have been feeling is gone to the floor as he wraps his good arm around Sidon in turn. 

“Oh, my _friend._ I feared the worst when everything went dark as Ganon's night around us. I couldn't see any light, nor anywhere to go. I was helpless as I stood there and gazed off into the nothingness.” 

Sidon leans back, apologetic as he strokes his talons down the side of Link's face. Link shakes his head, an attempt at a comforting gesture as his eyes catch Kass's. Kass only smiles before excusing himself, and there's a glimmering in his expression that has Link wanting to blush again. At least the feverish feeling is a good excuse in case he does, again. 

“I don't know what happened,” Sidon continues, sitting at the edge of Link's bed. “In just a few seconds, I heard something akin to a screeching animal, bellowing through the peaks. Then it went dark, and I felt the suffocating presence of something more, there, with us. I felt genuine fear. I couldn't imagine what was even happening to you.” 

Sidon takes Link's hand in his, and presses his forehead against him. Link leans into it, letting his tired eyes shut against the soft sunlight dappling the room they're in. 

“When I found you, you were in the lake. Red swirled around your body, and hungry eyes were just underneath the surface of the water. Without thinking, I jumped in to get you. The water was terribly cold, I must admit, but I managed to get you back to safety.” 

Sidon laughs, leaning his head to the side. He doesn't pull away, pressing the side of his face to Link's, swathing him in another embrace. “I'm glad you are safe, my friend. I'm glad it seems the beast has deemed you worthy of its power as well, too.” 

He gestures to Link's arm, the only currently hanging uselessly at his side. Link moves to slip the blanket free, and...well, he didn't know what he was expecting, but he's somewhat disappointed to see his arm is wrapped in some sticky gauze. He pokes at it listlessly, shrugging before turning to look at Sidon again. 

“That just leaves us with two more beasts,” Sidon says, tugging his tail over his shoulder with a somewhat thoughtful look. “We should commune with the elder, when you're feeling well enough, before we go. I'm sure he would like to hear of your success, and I'm sure there is another blessing to be put upon your soul. I would think so, anyway.” 

Sidon leans back, one leg crossed over the other. “Until then, though, I will remain here, at your side. You are free to rest. I can see the exhaustion weighing heavily on your eyelids.” 

Link snorts quietly, but there's a truth rung clear and loud in Sidon's words. His limbs feel like they're made of lead, and his arm feels like it's falling off. He grimaces as he tries to readjust himself, and something lights up in Sidon's eyes, and he nods, before getting to his feet. 

“I will be right back.” 

Link watches him go, propped against the cushions that have been stuffed behind his back. They're an assortment of colorful pillows, and he nuzzles into their warm depths and focuses on the sky through the window, instead. 

Clouds the size of small continents cover the blue, glowing golden at their edges that streak against the underside of the white. Clouds Link is used to, seeing them back in the city behind the towering skyscrapers that had framed his old life as a whole back in the day. 

Link wonders if anyone's been searching for him, or if they even care to. Link wonders if they had been searching, and if they've given up by now. Link wonders if they even remember him.

It's a chilling thought that leaves his mouth sour, and he purses his lips as he looks to the floor instead. Best not to dwell on what couldn't be helped, the fanatical, jump-to-conclusions of his lost and tired mind. Things would work themselves out, and for the moment, Link continues to kid himself into thinking that life back home was effervescent enough to return to.

He wakes again a day later, into the evening when the lanterns have been lit and it's just him and Kass again. 

“There you are,” the rito murmurs, his fingers(?) pausing their plucked harmony from a harp cradled within his hands. It had been the lovely melody that had called Link back to consciousness, and he had listened to it wrap around himself like a third blanket and remind him of his mother's lullabies. 

She hadn't been able to talk, like him, but she was able to hum. He remembers her songs clearly, and his heart sings a song to the low-hanging moon that strikes a chord of utter homesick anguish through his core. 

But that's a home that's long gone, and he blinks away the images of houses long belonged to others and their families. His time is here and now, and the red of Sidon's skin soon takes place of what was. He basks in its warmth, and returns his gaze to Kass. 

“You've been fitful.” Kass blinks, resuming the gentle plucking of the strings. “My expertise lies within my accordion's notes, but I decided that was a bit loud, for our small room here. So I picked this up from my home instead, and it seems to have helped with your rest. I'm glad to see music seems to prevail in your home as much as it does here.” 

He smiles, and Link can't help but return it. 

He makes an idle hand gesture, wrangling himself up into a sitting position. He nods, and that's the most he can do to agree with Kass's words. Kass seems content, if nothing else, and he allows his melody to fill the room's silence for them instead. 

“Your Prince should be back soon,” Kass muses, swaying with the music. Link catches sight of ornate beads woven through his feathers, the subtle strokes of what appears to be decorative face painting along his beak. “He was insistent on fetching you a nectar from a nearby meadow, one of which we infuse into a special, sweet tonic. It is said to lift one's stomach from uneasiness, and spread forth a warmth to all corners of one's being and help one feel at peace, if only for a short while. He hates to see you in such pain.” 

Link squirms, his blush returning tenfold to his already burning cheeks. The pain wasn't even that _bad,_ but to hear Sidon go to such lengths for him...

Kass chuckles, returning his attention to the harp in his lap. “Just relax, little one. If my ears have not failed me yet, I do believe I hear the words of our companion on the winds.” 

Link strains his own ears, attempting to listen to what Kass may have been hearing. All he manages to pick up are the effervescent sounds of the village around them, and it's relaxing enough for the moment. Kass's music seems to blend in with a gentle rill of singing voices, and Link listens to it all, eyes closed and shoulders lax. He could almost fall asleep again. 

He's wrenched from those certain thoughts as Sidon enters the room, bright and vibrant and at Link's side in a matter of seconds. 

“My friend!” he purrs, on one knee, crouched low next to Link's bed. “I bring to you a gift from the locals, an elixir that might help imbue you with strength and quickened recovery.” In his talons rests a vial, full to the brim with a pink liquid that swirls like satin in purple glass. It glitters underneath the sun's dying light, and the cork resembles a diamond carved into the shape of a star. 

Link takes it, his only good arm managing to hold it steady. 

“Here,” Sidon murmurs, gently popping the cork for Link. “I understand your left arm is still wounded, yes? I will help until it's back to normal.” 

Link smiles, grateful, before tipping the drink to his lips. 

At first, it's tasteless, like water. Link hums something out of curiosity, before a warmth envelops his tongue. There's a growing sensation of something akin to sugar water, and then something else reminds him of crystallized rock candy. The flavor settles itself into something like spiced honey, and Link nurses at the drink with a growing fondness. It spreads through his body like a muscle relaxer, and the hematoma that peeks from underneath the collar of his loose shirt is easier to ignore. 

Sidon's sitting on a chair next to him, and Kass slowly leaves the room to give them their privacy. Link's eyes are on Sidon's, noting his second eyelids and how they always seem to blink first. 

“When you're feeling well enough, the elder would like to talk with you about what happened on the mountain. Momentary shock has given way to a boundless curiosity. I told them that while you cannot talk, you can attempt to picture what it was that you saw.” 

Sidon looks a little guilty at his words. “That is, er, if your grip is well enough by then.” 

Link laughs, but he nods. After drinking the tonic, he feels like he's right as rain. Mostly. He still can't move his arm. 

He ignores it and its bandaged length for the moment, leaning towards Sidon instead. He gives the man a good look-over, trying to decipher if he's suffered any wounds or not. He seems unharmed, which brings a lazy smile to Link's lips. He even so much as dares to lean against Sidon's offered shoulder, dropping his head against it and nestling there. 

Words seem to fail Sidon, but he replaces the silence with a low him instead. He runs his talons through Link's hair, brushing out the errant tangles. “I think the elder will have to wait until tomorrow,” he muses, earning himself a nod of agreement from Link. “One more night of rest, and one more round of the rito's tonics. You still feel a tad warm.” 

Sidon presses his knuckles to Link's forehead, and Link basks in the cool touch of his skin. It's like slipping into a pool, feeling the current wrap around him and hold him in an elusive embrace. Link lets himself float in it, pressing his heavy head to Sidon's hand and letting it rest there. 

“Rest” comes in the form of shattered dreams, of another rito talking to him. Or attempting to, anyway. The rito looks familiar and yet it doesn't, cloaked in obscurity and only offering flashes of color in a bleak, monotone landscape. The rito carries an aura about him that reeks of smirking smugness, and even if Link meets his eyes, can't quite make out what he's saying, he awakes in the morning with a strange contentment that brushes his skin like feathers anyway. 

Morning ebbs into him like the gentle flow of a stream, and Link finds himself awash in its silvery-blue layers before Sidon wakes. For once, he feels well enough to sit upright without the aches and pains, but he's held down by a weight thrown across his middle that pins him lovingly down to the cushions. 

Sidon's crawled in beside him, breathing slow and easy, his head propped against Link's good shoulder. It's like a thunder jacket for his stress, and Link doesn't really realize how much of it he's carrying until Sidon's gentle warmth helps ease it away. 

But there's a natural insistence he get up and relieve himself. Heaving a sigh, he carefully disengages from Sidon's embrace, using his one arm to the best of his ability. His other arm still lies useless at his side, and he's unable to even move a tendon as he hoists himself from the bed. There's fresh bandages that hug the bleeding muscle, at the very least, and it takes a surprising amount of willpower to not peel the gauze off and look at the damage underneath. 

Link's distracted enough the moment he walks outside. It's a chilly morning, and there's _other_ birds sitting on the fences that enclose the village, singing their own tunes to those of the lady rito that Link can catch glimpses of as they go about their business. He hugs his coat a little more closely around himself as he wanders towards the outhouses, in somewhat good spirits as he walks along. 

Like this, everything feels normal. The sun feels the same on his skin, and even if his arm is about as useful as a limp noodle, there's still a feeling that drapes itself against his insides and manages to reassure him that he's _right,_ somehow. That he's where he belongs, and that for a moment, he can breathe. 

And he does, standing atop the stairs just before the entrance to the inn they'd been staying at. He casts his eyes to the far horizon, keeping his coat wrapped about himself at the collar. He curls his fingers into the feathers, the soft suede feeling that feels like Epona's fur. He breathes in the waxing afternoon air, and for once, he has to agree with the feeling; he is in the right place. 

A feeling only cemented as he wanders back into his room. Sidon's awoken, fussing with their belongings that have shrunk and grown and lessened and become more again, somehow. 

“Ah! There you are,” he purrs, draping the bag he'd been holding over his shoulder. “If you're feeling well enough, the elder would have us, it seems. He's excited to hear about your time in the mountains.” 

Link nods, slipping his coat onto himself proper. It's a bit of a chore that Sidon's eager to help with, and together they find themselves out in the newly-formed day. 

It's kind of atmosphere that reminds Link of the galling weeks before autumn really hits. When the mornings are cold, and the chill seeps into the afternoon, but not enough so that it cools the harsh, relentless rays of the sun. But without something warm to accompany the bursting gales, you'd be freezing and helpless, despite the sun's help. 

Link's caught in a sort of a temperature whiplash, one he tries to fan away as he looks to Sidon. He doesn't seem wholly bothered, but then again, he doesn't seem bothered by a lot of things. Link wonders if the man even has it in his nature to snap. Judging from the rest of his race, he could have long ago, but...

Link inwardly shrugs to himself. There would, hopefully, be a time and place to talk things over. Their last night in the domain still weighs heavy on his mind, and Link feels like he can still feel the gaze of the zora king on him, picking him apart, even with him so far away from Sidon's home. 

The implication douses Link's previous mood like a thunderstorm in snow. He fights a shiver, looking forward instead and ignoring any gnawing dread. Sidon's well-being was one to worry about, but he's hale and whole, and Link just needs to focus on his presence at his side as they walk towards the guards in front of the elder's hut. 

“You're back!” the female rito pipes up, her eyes glimmering in a smile. “Teba told me not much happened after he'd left you guys, but then the Prince carried you back in his arms in such a panic! Are you feeling well now?” 

She steps a little closer, and Link watches Teba roll his eyes from the corner of his own. But he nods to the girl, offering her a softened expression, one he hoped would convey his thanks. She seems content, stepping back into her place with a nod thrown his way. “The elder's home. Have fun and relax, all right?” 

“Thank you,” Sidon says, offering her a small bow. She giggles, placing a wing over her beak in a gesture that is oddly and adorably reminiscent of the girls back home. 

Link looks to Sidon somewhat playfully as they step past her, attempting to gauge anything from his passive expression. He catches Link's eye and smiles, offering only a wink before the familiar hoot of the elder calls to them from the other end of the room. 

“You are returned!” 

His sharp cry reminds Link of a red-tailed hawk, and he's grateful when the octave dips down into something friendlier against his ears. “I'm glad to see you are well,” he continues, stepping down from the perch was sitting on. “Though your arm...would it be all right to remove the bandaging? I'm curious to see what the Beast has left you.” 

“Of course,” Sidon answers for Link, letting the bag slip from his broad shoulder. He gestures for Link to remove his jacket, and he does, watching curiously as Sidon removes more medical supplies from the bag. A thoughtful gesture, for the situation at hand. Link's chest swells, and he removes his coat quickly. 

His fingers work carefully at the end of the gauzy material, nails catching against a substance like glue where the ends are held together. He tugs lightly, and like silk, the material gives way to the floor with seemingly no life nor mass to its depths any longer. 

In the sunlight, even Link has to marvel at what's been left behind on his skin. Like the mark Ruta had left behind on his flesh, there's swirls of a misty green gleaming in his arm, raised and irritated yet sunken low into tender, red skin. The marks curl around Link's arm, rising to his shoulder blade and spanning the back of his knuckles. Only his ring finger carries the last traces of the swirling scarring, and his palm has what seems to be a feather carved against the crease lines. 

Link tries to hold his arm out, to get a better look, but there's naught he can do. Sidon steps close and holds it up for him, earning himself a slight grimace from Link. But the pain fades as quickly as it comes, and Sidon's already dousing his skin in a murky blue liquid that clings to him like sand mixed in milk. 

“So it has chosen you after all,” Kaneli muses, stepping close and humming, thoughtful. His beady eyes are on Link's arm, tracing every swirling line it has to offer. “One of our own sported markings similar to this. He was the guardian for Medoh, you see. His name was Revali. Medoh, for as unfortunate as it is, only ever seemed to put its trust in our last champion. To see it actually communicate with someone else after all this time is promising, though...” 

Kaneli leans back, swiping his beak over the top of his wing. He seems content, if anything, and puffs himself out to a rather impressive size before his feathers lie flat again. “I wonder if you happened to see him, our Revali. We have a bit of a legend about those mountains, that some can hear his voice if they wander too close to where the Beast resides.” 

Link nods. He remembers seeing _something,_ someone, talking to him in his time spent with the beast. Kaneli looks thoughtful, but his expression falls into a smile. 

“I'll have to visit the Beast myself, at some point. I have more purpose to do so now, with you being here. Hopefully, if the Beasts are entrusting unto you their power, you may be able to help us put our faith back into them.” 

Kaneli's words are weighted, and Sidon himself gives a momentary pause to his task. “That is my hope for us as well,” he murmurs, flicking his gaze to Link. Link can't decipher what's in those golden depths, but he nods in agreement anyway. Sidon squeezes his hand. 

“Thank you, elder,” he continues, busying himself with quickly wrapping Link's arm in the bandaging. Kaneli nods, moving slowly to seat himself upon his perch. The air feels different somehow, but his attitude towards Link seems to be unwavering. 

“You two are welcome to stay as long as you need to,” he says, relaxing back into the nest that was in his background. “I've heard news the road to the Gerudo has been...simpler.” 

Sidon nods, and Link pretends he knows what's being talked about, too. He follows Sidon's lead, biting back a smile. Something about nodding in unison warms his heart. 

“We appreciate everything you've done for us, Kaneli. I hope you and yours continue to stay safe and well, even after we depart.” 

 

Kaneli delivers his own final farewell, and it's some time before Sidon and Link finally break free from the village. Their supplies having been shorted, Link and Sidon decide it best to wait for a new shipment of foodstuffs before they head out. It leads to ample opportunity for just relaxing, enjoying sunsets that drip into the horizon, and sunrises that break through the blue dome of the firmament and bleed out into the far oceans. 

There's a spot from the mountains where they can easily see it, yet it seems so far from where they stand. Distance and time itself seem to warp themselves around Link's eyes, and he's decided long ago that it's best not to focus on it too hard. 

What he does focus on instead is Sidon at his side, excitedly telling a story of his youth as Epona treads the dusted trails underneath them. 

“The poor girl, I truly felt terrible for her. I just didn't know what to do with a possible suitor who was nearly as tall as I! She was kind, though, but a little...well, again, I felt terrible, but I have some rather specific interests that make it hard to pursue a lover.” 

Link's gut twists, as it had been since the story started. It's a feeling that threatens to the back of his throat, the kind of feeling Link desperately wishes he can swallow. Thankfully Sidon's last comment offers a distraction, and he quirks an eyebrow, curious. 

Sidon merely waves a hand, before redirecting it to wave at himself instead. It is hot. They are hot. 

“Again, though, she wasn't used to seeing a man, I don't think. The Gerudo don't let any males into their city, you see. It might a pose a problem, but that will be an issue we'll figure out once we find ourselves into the bazaar. Which, hopefully, isn't too much farther out...” 

Sidon checks their map, and Link does, too. It had been a couple days since the canyon's walls had swallowed them, a harsh, nearly blinding yellow of sediment and compressed stone that guided their path deeper into hollowed desert. 

“Ah, yes. Just about a half a day, I think. Maybe if we're lucky, the market will be there.” 

Sidon pushes a grin, leaning his head against Link's side. It's still amazing, how he's tall enough to do so, even with him on the horse. But Link nods, deciding the added warmth is worth it as he wraps his arm around Sidon's shoulder, tired and weary eyes on the path ahead of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ;v; I apologize for the delay on the update! I swear I didn't mean to drag it out this long, oh my goodness. I fell into some bad sleeping habits that rendered me absolutely lazy. Terrible. -beats myself with a broom- 
> 
> But ahh, here it is! I can finally scoot Sidon and Link closer and closer and I'm so excited! 
> 
> And also, I feel completely horrible for not mentioning it last chapter, but y'all are free to come chat with me on my tumblr! In the radio silence between updates, I'm usually always there. I feel bad for not having extending the offer earlier ;v; 
> 
> But man! Thank you guys so much for sticking with me through so much of this. This has turned into a real doozy LMAO If y'all want to, though, find me at spacerot.tumblr.com! and once more, thank you guys so much. ♥ I appreciate ya putting up with my erratic postings lolol


	16. Somewhat of a Mirage

Link decides his favorite color isn't yellow anymore. 

It's burned itself permanently into his retinas, threatening blindness stacking high on his multitude of other problems. The heat it brings leads him to believe he's downed an entire lake, and Sidon's no better as they find shelter in the shade of the canyon's stables. 

“I would say we should have saved this destination for last,” Sidon begins, “but I do suppose it beats the volcano.” 

_Volcano_ is a rather loose word to be tossing around, and Link feels the ripple underneath his skin as he pictures it. He's even heard the name for the place: _Death Mountain._

Link decides that maybe yellow isn't so bad, where there's still red to be seen. 

It's a thought that fades as they press forward, Epona housed safely at the stables on the outskirts of the desert. There's just too much sand, too many threats to be trifled with out in the dunes, and Link agrees to leave her behind as they finally breach from the security of sediment mountains. Arid airspace is all that awaits them on the other side, and Link is sure his clothes would catch fire, if not for the layer of sweat upon his skin that soaks through the fabric. 

Sidon is undoubtedly much, much worse off than Link is, though. Link's sympathy cries a tune that he's sure is tangible in the air as he keeps a hand on Sidon's lower back, fingertips brushing over dried-out skin attempting to absorb as much moisture as it possibly can. Sidon's pupils are thin, and his expression is worn as they haul themselves through the endless sands. 

“I think I will spend quite a bit of time in the oasis, when we come to it,” he laughs, rubbing at his dry, dry eyes. Link offers him what fluids he can, with everything from the waterskin to the fruits they'd bought at the stables. They help, but Sidon's in deep, and Link can tell. 

The oasis is a halfway point for a reason, and Link and Sidon find themselves there before long. It's a welcome change of pace to the quiet expanse of sand, with nothing but the wind in their ears and the foreign drop of something following Link dripping down his spine. It traces every line Ruta has offered him, and he clears his throat as it spreads into his arm, tracing Medoh's lines like a lover. It nearly leaves his fingertips numb, and Link finds himself looking to Sidon more oft than not to make sure that it's just him that feels this way. 

He feels like they're being followed, watched. He can't help but think of the night in the plains, before the Rito, and the image of the giant boar flashes across his mind's eye in sickening, red-hot waves. 

He can almost hear its voice. 

Luckily Sidon's there to drown it out. 

“We will spend a few nights here, I think,” Sidon groans, slipping into the water located at the bazaar's center. Link watches as the droplets roll from his skin, watches it glimmer in waves as he tosses his head back from the elegant breach of breaking the water. Each drop rolls down and clings to Sidon's muscular body, and Link's throat goes much more dry than it had been previously. 

He clears it softly, flashing a smile and forcing his eyes back up to Sidon's. 

_I can agree to that,_ he signs, quietly, remorsefully. Sidon's lack of understanding, brushed off in a gentle puff of laughter and feigned comprehension, only makes Link's heart long all the more for proper communication; but he's resigned himself to never finding the necessary means for it at this point. 

It settles in his gut like a stomach flu, and he nurses the feeling as he dips his feet into the clear water and watches Sidon dip below the surface. Link can see his gills working at the water, sucking it in and out and revitalizing his red, red skin. Underneath the sunlight, underneath the polished surface of the fragmented waves, Link can see the prism of colors that make up the shade in their gentle hues of reds and purples. He grabs his bag and a small, blank notebook, the one he's been using to communicate with Sidon offhandedly in and draws him, colors and all. 

Two days pass, and Link finds himself waking up on his own more often than not. The desert cools in the night, and Sidon's there, pressed chest to Link's back, sharing warmth where the blankets fail to offer their own. Together they create a furnace, one that dries Sidon out to the bone and sends him back in the waters of the communal spring at the center of the small town. 

Link finds himself exploring it while Sidon basks in the water. There's admittedly not much aside from shops and wayside inns for travelers, but it offers a window of opportunity to observe the citizens. The people that live in the area, Sidon called the Gerudo, and Link gazes upon them with intimidation. They're tall, double his height, and arch up nearly as high as Sidon does. 

Yet they're beautiful all the same. They regard Link with kindness, though their hubris is evident with the way they poise themselves. Link manages to speak with a few, learning of their culture, and it's not long before he's absolutely stumped with an acquired issue: he can't go into their town. 

An issue that's forgotten about almost immediately as Link's train of thought wrecks itself into the nearest brick wall. He's only out at the outskirts for a couple hours at most, returning to speak with Sidon when the familiar flash of velveteen tents enshrouds the spring. 

Suddenly the atmosphere is a little darker as Link steps into their depths, and the outside noises of the bazaar are muffled completely and replaced with the jaunty tunes of accordions and flutes inside the market. 

Its weight settles on his breastbone and he's nearly smothered, momentary shock ebbing aside for moderate curiosity. He hauls a breath into his lungs, clenching his fists once before taking off down the winding isles. Like last time, the market seems to monopolize the space it's in and warp it, creating a space that's much bigger than the actual area seems. 

Link's lost, but he stubbornly refuses to admit that as he keeps walking along. At first glance, nothing much seems to have changed. In fact, it's almost eerily present as he looks around. There still seems to be a central hub of congregation among the marketeers, and Link swears he remembers some faces from the last time. Some look to him with smiles, gesturing with long, ringed fingers for him to come forward and look at their wares in the shapes of baked breads as large as his head. Their aroma seems to waft towards him with every motion they make, and Link's stomach rumbles with a temptation that nearly has him going off course. 

The brief flash of a zora wandering the paths behind the food tent has him remembering Sidon, and he hurries off, weaving between patrons and sellers alike as he keeps his eyes peeled for that familiar flash of red. 

Link's footsteps carry him off into the direction they believe the spring lies, but there's a difference between where the spring once used to be, and the horde of tents that sits there now. Link blinks, confused, strangers milling around and past him and bumping against his shoulders. Each knock of someone against his left arm has his mark aching, and he's soon holding it against himself as he looks around, lost and confused and frustrated as he finally admits it to himself. 

_The spring's the other way._

The voice slips into him, his entire body like a wave of cold water. Link shudders as he freezes himself to the spot, glancing around, looking for where it may have come from, because he sure as hell knows that wasn't him nor his own inward thoughts. 

_Ah. So you did hear me._

There's a tug that drags at Link's solar plexus, forcing him around to face a path to his left. It seems like a dead end, a cluster of unused tents remodified for storage purposes, darker in comparison to the rest of the market. The drapes of tattered tents all lean against each other, strewn across the sky and creating the equivalent of a shady alley in the city. Link swallows hard as he looks down the path, the sand swirling in the wind as it brushes past him, towards the dead end like a come hither. 

In the dim shadows, Link can see two eyes. 

Glowing red, they blink once at him. 

_Good, you can see me, too._

The eyes shift, and there's a body connected to them as white as sunlight on snow. Link doesn't know how he missed it, but the eyes seem to bore into his very soul and drag his feet the last few meters towards the creature. 

It's like a hairless cat met a zora and bred with it. It towers, just like everything else, into the air; though Link notices it seems to be floating there, rather than using its massive hind legs to stand on the ground. Its arms drape down its sides and end in huge claws, and its long, pointed snout stretches into a grin that tears back to its pointed ears. Link can see translucent skin at its chest, its neck, and it tilts its head as they meet in the middle. 

It crosses its arms and lies sideways in the air, its massive tail curling around its body. 

_You're not of this world,_ it says. 

Link nods, awestruck and terrified. 

_Neither am I._ It flicks an ear, bored. It points its snout towards the sky, using a large talon to scrape at its teeth. _Imagine my surprise when I came to this planet, and found a hidden guise to another world entirely. You creatures sure are fascinating, even if I find myself stuck here. Are you looking for your own way back as well?_

It turns its eyes back to Link, and he finds himself nodding again. 

_You can talk, you know._

_What?_

Link's own thoughts bubble to his head before he can help it, and the creature's eyes glimmer. 

_Like that. There's more to you than just a physical voice, you know._

Link clears his throat, eyes wide and surprised. _You're...you're right, I guess,_ he starts, awkward anxiety taking him by the throat and squeezing against his jugular. Talk about experiences he's never ever had before. And here he thought he'd had this place and its surprises down to a T. 

_That's rather ignorant, you know,_ the creature rumbles, tilting upright and leaning forward. _Surely after your time here, you'd expect there to be more than just what you see_ here.

Link can smell its breath, rancid and oddly sweet, and he nods, guilt pricking into apologetic silence. _You can read my thoughts?_ ends up slipping out louder than the rest of what he wants to say. 

The creature laughs, an audible noise that sounds like a warbled purr. _I can do a lot of things. You needn't worry, though. You've been here for some time, though, yes? How fares your search in finding an out?_

_Uh,_ Link starts, everything from the Beasts to Sidon to the others he's met along the way flashing before his eyes. There's a moment's reflection on just how much time he's spent in this place, a moment to mull over the fact that aside from colorful scarring, he's not much closer to finding home than he had been before. 

There's a hushed afterbirth that lingers for but a moment, one that glimmers like glitter in dust and teases at the fact that part of his heart doesn't want to leave. 

It's gone as quickly as it comes, and the creature hums, turning in the air to circle around Link. 

_Curious,_ it says. _You've been more helpful than anyone else I have asked, though. Maybe part of that is due to the fact you seem to have been here before, though. What we repress and choose to remember is funny like that._

Link's own surprise wants to amount to something more, but it finds itself falling short. Mipha's ghost comes to mind, followed quickly by Revali's. Even if their words were cryptic at best, they left an underlying inkling buried underneath Link's skin that he's itched at. 

_I have?_ is all he manages to really ask, his throat tight in anticipation. 

The creature nods. _I can help you remember. But it'd come at a price._ It grins again, leaning close enough that Link can see the faintest outline of slitted pupils in its glowing red eyes. _Or, since you seem so frustrated in your silence, I can offer you a voice. That, too, comes with a choice._

Link swallows hard. 

_I...I don't know,_ he says, following the creature as it continues to spin around him. 

_A voice, or your memories. I can offer one, but not both. The only thing I ask in return is you help me and others find a way out of here. I'd like to come and go as I please, you know._

It drifts backwards, turning around and away from Link. Link feels like he's had the breath sucked out of him at the motion, and he breathes, hard and deep and wholly unsure. He feels like there's something in the back of his mind, probing around and taking what's his without permission. 

If there is, it only hums in acknowledgment and doesn't say so. 

But even if the creature is decidedly snake oil in appearance and terrifying with a mouth that could swallow Link whole, it's not one of the creatures that has tried to kill him before. There's a purring genuine tone to everything it says, and it looks back to Link over its shoulder, eyes narrowed and tail tip flicking. 

_Well?_ it asks. 

Link's breath catches in his throat. There's one thing he can live without. There's one thing he's been living without, and he turns his determined gaze towards the creature with a nod. 

Sidon's the one to finally find him. 

He's covered in a glistening salve that turns his skin almost blue, and Link's brow arcs to the sky as he looks his companion over. 

“There you are!” he says, rushing forward to embrace Link. Link leans into the motion, squirming only a little bit as the goo gets on him, too. “I've been looking everywhere for you! I happened to doze, and when I awoke, the market was...are you all right, my friend?” 

He trails off at Link's hands, watching as they cradle Sidon by the sides of his face. Link's fingers slip underneath the fins at the sides, caressing a firm jawbone and pulling him close. Even on Link's tiptoes, poor Sidon nearly has to break himself in half to connect their foreheads between them. 

Link licks his chapped lips, ignoring Sidon's query and the noise around them for the moment. He focuses purely on Sidon instead, his warmth, his presence, his heartbeat he can feel through the thunder of his jugular. Link closes his eyes, feigning absolutely nothing, and coating himself in a faux blackness that enshrouds just the two of them. 

Link holds his breath, concentrating. 

He pushes, carefully, until something gives. Link feels himself sway towards Sidon's being, and there's a momentary gasp of shock before they mingle, twisting around the other and settling into a hesitant impasse. 

_Can you hear me?_

Link feels positively stupid. 

But Sidon's pulling back, forcing his eyes open in shocked surprise, his mouth agape. “Was that you just now?”

Link nods, slowly, stepping back. His boots are swallowed by the sands, sending him another inch down compared to Sidon's massive height. He feels terribly small, and stupid still. 

_I'm not really used to this. Whatever this is, anyway._

Link takes a deep breath, smiling sheepishly. _But hey, if you can hear me, I suppose that's all that matters now._

Sidon's quiet for a moment. His sunshine eyes seem to pick Link apart in their silence, before it gives way to another, rib-crushing embrace. 

“My _friend,_ he says, and there's a quiver to his voice that has Link convinced he's crying. “I don't even know what to say! How did this happen...?” 

He pulls back, and while Link's not entirely sure if Sidon's able to cry, there's a red tint to his whitened flesh that gives away the ploy to his emotions. Link offers him a small, reassuring smile, fingers trailing Sidon's arms and ending at the palms of his hands. 

_There was, um. Someone I met. I made an agreement with them. It's safe, I promise._ He shrugs, still awkward and not entirely sure what to do with himself. _It's only you I can do this with, though. So, uh, keep that in mind._

He laughs, clearing his throat and looking away. Telepathic communication was, admittedly, the last thing he ever expected to see in this kind of place. Even the abundant magic that flickered in the corners of his eyes still had him edging on disbelief. 

Sidon's shaking his head, clearly overcome with an emotion Link's not sure he's seen brew behind those eyes. “What is your name?” he asks, a loaded question that hits Link at point-blank value. 

_Link,_ he answers, finally, his cheeks warming and hands growing clammy. _It's uh, it's Link._

Sidon rushes in for another hug, scooping Link from his feet. There's a moment's scramble as Link wraps his arms around Sidon's neck, taken aback and confused and awkward and nervous as he's suddenly looking into Sidon's eyes at a height similar to his own. 

“That is a wonderful name, Link,” he says, the name rolling from his tongue, a gentle, ebbing wave that pushes against Link's chest. His heart flutters and he can't help the bashful smile, his gaze lowered to Sidon's clavicles. 

“It is nice to meet you finally, properly. I've been excitedly awaiting this day, even if I didn't think it'd ever come.” Sidon sets Link down, the growing heat between them becoming too much. The desert's sun still beats mercilessly down upon them, and Sidon's gesturing for Link to walk at his side. He falls into step beside his towering companion, electricity running through his fingertips and keeping him on edge. 

“The excitement of finally learning your name aside,” Sidon muses, “I'm afraid I must inform you that I've come across a bit of a problem. No doubt you've heard for yourself, but...” 

He pauses in the shade of an ornate palm tree, its leaves swaying in the wind and brushing against their skin. “Only those who identify as, er, _ladies_ may enter Gerudo Town. I've been given a special pass, considering I am a princely diplomat, but even that doesn't save you from the rule. So I'll admit, I'm at a bit of a loss for what to do...”

He trails off into a thoughtful hum, and Link directs his thoughts back to himself. _I'm sure we can think of something,_ he says, the words spilling out before he can help them. Required practice on his own, he's sure. _For now, though, want to head back to our room? I've had enough sun for the day._

Sidon blinks, but his expression melts tenderly and he agrees. 

Their room changes, from something basic to something a little more lavish. Once their time spent in the bazaar culminated into something more than just a few night's stays, Sidon upgraded them to a suite that earned them soft giggles and knowing looks from the girls behind the counters. Their expressions stay with Link, confusedly, until they enter their room. 

Once the door is open, he can see why they might have acted like that. 

_Oh wow._

Red and pink tallow candles line counters pushed from the walls themselves, and golden curtains frame empty windowsills. The sun shines through their glossy, sheer fabric and spills into warbled reflections on the polished sanded floor, creating a warm, monotone kaleidoscope that dances over Link's skin. A few of the candles have been lit already, filling the room with the aroma of freshly-cut grass and something distinctively muskier, sweeter. It fills the front of his head and sends a slight tingle down his spine, spilling into his gut and making him feel _warm._

He's blushing before long, clearing his throat self-consciously as he hurries to put their things away. 

“It is nice,” Sidon muses, sitting on a giant bed that seems, thankfully, made to fit at least one giant person. He and Link both look around the room, to the lanterns set into crevices near the ceiling, lighting the room where it grows dim in warm shades of golden red. 

Link's insides swelter more in here than they did outside, somehow. It's like his muscles have all simply turned into pudding, his head the equivalent of marshmallow fluff. Suddenly it's a little harder to reach out to Sidon, and he's thankful they find themselves back outside before long.

Link gulps in the fresh air as subtly as he can. 

“I wonder if there's anyone we can talk to,” Sidon muses, arms crossed and skin glossy. He looks like an oiled wrestler, and Link wants to laugh at the absurdity of it. There's not much of a chance to when Sidon looks at him, eyes glimmering and smiling. “Have you thought of anything, Link?” 

_I haven't, no,_ he muses, shaking his head as he rights himself. Sidon's eyes flick over his posture, concern flashing in them briefly, but it's a concern he doesn't elaborate on. 

_If we can find someone to ask for advice, that might be good. 'Cause otherwise, I'm not sure where to look or start..._ He shrugs, secondhand anxiety still lining his throat as he speaks. It takes another good moment to sit there and stew in the fact that he _can_ speak, and he rubs his hand against his bruised wrist with a shy smile. 

“How is that doing?” Sidon asks, pushing the current topic to the side. He takes Link's hand instead, talons gently tracing the lines etched into his skin from Medoh's blessing. The swelling had gone down and left behind red against his skin, but the subtle green of his markings swirling around his bones glows softly in the sunlight. It seems to thrum underneath the attention, but Link shakes his head. 

_It seems to be fine. Definitely isn't causing me as much grief as Ruta's blessing did._ He sighs, curling his still-numb fingers around Sidon's. _Thanks, though. I'm sure it'll continue to be okay._

There's a rather imploring look that Sidon gives him, but he squeezes Link's hand before letting it go. “Well,” he says, “who to ask, who to ask...” 

It's a question that proves itself to be harder than they expect it to be. The Gerudo themselves aren't keen on talking with strangers, it seems, even if one is a decidedly handsome shark prince. Only a few approach Sidon on their own, explaining their situations where they reside outside of Gerudo town, looking for soulmates, and in the end, prying for Sidon's attention. 

Link ignores it, but there's a slime that builds in his chest, a strange infatuation turned irritable that smothers his words. 

Thankfully, Sidon doesn't seem too keen on lingering around them as much as Link does. Though it proves difficult, especially with the remaining presence of the market. 

“I do suppose I could always go in myself, and ask if there's any possible way to bring you in after, once the situation's explained.” Sidon's leaned against a tree, a strange, spiked fruit in hand that he's ignoring. Link nibbles at his, letting the tasteless fruit keep his mouth cool and head even. “But then again, I doubt they'd believe me unless I had you along...” 

Link sighs in agreement. 

_I don't really know what else to do, though. There's—_

But there's a distinctive _“You!”_ that cleaves his thoughts in half, and a hand falls on Link's shoulder and wrenches him around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> He can talk! Please ignore my very self indulgent way of giving him a voice. That thing has some story behind it though, and I just wanted to give it a cameo lol ;v; 
> 
> But yay! A tiny bit later than I wanted, but here's the update! Sorry it's shorter than usual; I promise the next one will be a little longer. ♥
> 
> As usual, the support is super duper appreciated, and thank you guys so much for reading. It means the world to me. ♥♥♥


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